BÉRENGER, LE PROCHAIN LOCATAIRE DE LA STATE HOUSE!

An Analysis

«Marké gardé, Paul Bérenger finira sa carrier politique en beauté comme le prochain Président de la République.»

Bérenger can say whatever he likes now that his party has regained «ces forces d’antan comme Samson. Le MMM ira seul aux prochaines élections» because the polls are not behind the door, besides we all know that his weekly press conference «avec ses figurants autour de lui c’est juste pour épater la galerie» but with the advent of the general elections, he will be compelled to look for a partner to avoid another thumping defeat.

Going into the arms of Navin Ramgoolam again is synonymous with boarding the Titanic, taking into account what the Labour Party with Navin Ramgoolam stands today on the political chessboard. Therefore, a remake Bérenger/Ramgoolam carries the barest possibility, even if we take into account the feasibility prevailing in our political landscape. It will be a stillborn alliance doomed from the start. Furthermore, in a three-cornered battle, MMM with Paul Bérenger as PM does not stand the ghost of a chance of winning the elections between two hindu adversaries in the rural areas which usually determine the outcome of the polls.

Moreover, «une cohabitation avec Xavier Duval» is just beyond imagination. It is unimaginable to imagine a co-existence between two leaders who have never been on the same wavelength. Besides, who will be in the driving seat? Usually they fish in the same pond and their party does not carry weight with the rural electorate. That option is not even conceivable.

So, the other and only alternative is a coalition with the MSM of Pravind Jugnauth to save his party from another defeat. Arrangement can be made for Bérenger to go to the State House as President of the Republic while Reza Uteem will occupy the seat of the Deputy Prime Minister with Pravind Jugnauth in the driving seat as PM. Besides, that cohabitation will not be a test-case. It had already proved its worth in 2000-2005 where Paul Bérenger was PM for two years. And today he would have been in the driving seat again had he been able to bridle his greed and hurry to be in the seat of the Prime minister. But he was greedy. He wanted to occupy the seat of the primeministership for five years without sharing. He torpedoed the Remake 2000 which was heading headlong towards a sweeping victory to ally himself with Navin Ramgoolam to satisfy his greed. And we all know the outcome.

A Remake 2000 MMM/MSM in 2019 will be unbeatable with Paul Bérenger as President of the Republic and Pravind Jugnauth as Prime Minister. Two great political parties which had already worked together without a hitch during the period 2000-2005, and the socio-economic situation of the country will no doubt get a wonderful boost. Today it is a government MMM/MSM which should have been in office if Remake 2000 had not been sent on the scrap heap. Everyone knew, including Bérenger that Remake 2000 was a dead winner. But unfortunately! Let us hope that he has come out wiser after the thumping defeat of his party in the last elections, and he will not repeat the same blunder in 2019.

So, a Remake 2000 in 2019 will undoubtedly help Bérenger to end up his political career with a flourish «comme le prochain locataire de la State House.»

«Il aura donc boucler la boucle comme leader de l’Opposition, Premier Ministre et Président de la République.» He will go down in history as Sir Anerood Jugnauth for having occupied the three highest political functions of the country.

By Raj Paneken