Koronivia resident questions Chaudhry on FLP/NFP coalition

Why can’t the Fiji Labour Party form a coalition with the National Federation Party?

This question was posed to FLP Secretary General, Mahendra Chaudhry last night during a campaign meeting at Nakaikogo Primary School in Nausori.

A resident of Koronivia asked Chaudhry to explain why the two parties cannot form a coalition.

Chaudhry told about 20 people that they were all part of the National Federation Party.

He said the Fiji Labour Party was formed in 1985 as the National Federation Party could not form a government in 1977 because of internal problems.

Chaudhry then said that this was a weakness of their community and the NFP broke into two parts.

He also told the people that NFP and FLP formed a coalition in 1987 and formed government which was removed after a month by Sitiveni Rabuka through a coup.

He said the NFP and FLP had decided later not to contest elections under the new constitution brought in by Rabuka which had an allocation of 37 Fijian communal seats while Indo Fijians got 27 seats.

Chaudhry said this would have resulted in Indo Fijians being in permanent opposition.

The Labour Party leader said he remembers well that FLP and NFP decided not to contest in the election after a meeting in Korovuto as it was a racist constitution.

Chaudhry said the NFP later decided to contest the elections and the FLP was left in a limbo whether to contest the election or not.

Chaudhry also said that they had to think whether NFP would be able to protect the interest of Indo Fijians as the then NFP leader took off to New Zealand after the coup and returned after 18 months.

Chaudhry did not give a definite answer on whether the FLP can have a coalition with the NFP.

We will speak to him later today.