Secret Talk: Berenger wants Pravind cleared from Privy Council or no deal
The MMM leader Paul Berenger is said to have told Sir Aneerood Jugnauth (SAJ) in a recent secret talk that PM Pravind Jugnauth has to get his name cleared at the Privy Council otherwise there will be no deal with the latter as PM.
The MMM leader’s recent overture towards the MSM did not go un-noticed, with the latter praising the PM on some occasions.
This has thawed the otherwise thorny relationship between the two parties, while the secret meeting between Berenger and Sir Aneerood Jugnauth has delivered firm results, a source told WFTV.
The source, close to the secret talks between Berenger and SAJ, told WFTV that the deal between Berenger and Sir Aneerood Jugnauth hinges on the MSM leader Pravind Jugnauth’s Privy Council case.
“Berenger would definitely want Pravind cleared from the MedPoint case, otherwise why would he make a deal while this is still hanging on Pravind’s head?” said the source who quoted an MMM official.
This clearly means Berenger would not want to join the MSM as the second man while Pravind has a case against him, but if he wins the case that could seal the deal between the MMM and the MSM. Details of the deal were published by WFTV in December last year.
“The long over due Privy Council decision on whether Pravind is guilty in the MedPoint Ltd corruption case has put off Berenger who will not formally agree to an alliance with the MSM while the case is still ongoing,” said the source.
The source said SAJ urged Berenger to move forward with the deal, but after further discussions between the two leaders, it is now clear that the deal now hangs on the decision of the Privy Council.
“SAJ is desperate for the deal,” we were told.
On Jan 15, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) obtained the final authorisation from the Supreme Court to move forward with the appeal at the Privy Council.
The DPP wants to challenge the ruling of the Supreme Court, dated May 25, 2016, which cleared Pravind Jugnauth of all charges in the MedPoint Ltd, case. Pravind’s sister, Mrs Shalini Devi Jugnauth Malhotra, owns shares of MedPoint.
It appears that a deal is indeed in the air between the two leaders but Berenger is not willing to join the MSM in power at this moment because PM Pravind still has to clear his name at the Privy Council.
But we are also told whether Pravind gets knocked out at the Privy Council or not, the deal will be on between the two political formations.
“With or without Pravind the MMM and MSM will be together to face-off against the Labour.
“The only thing is the MMM would not join the MSM while there is a case that is still unsolved against the current PM,” said the source.
Once solved, the MMM would then jump into the bandwagon but Berenger is said to have insisted that the ML should not be part of any coalition between the MMM and the MSM.
The other possibility is that the two parties will form an alliance that will call for elections this year, though Pravind is said to be adamant that his government can rule until the end of its mandate.
The MSM is banking on the Metro Leger project to convince the public that it can deliver.
The other possibility is that the MMM, MSM would go to the polls separately and will join forces to form a government after the polls. It will depend on whether the two parties garner enough seats on their own to counter the rising Labour Party.