4 Aug 2006

Former Fiji MP claims to have been used by Chaudhry

2:15 pm on 4 August 2006

The former Fiji Labour Party MP whose non-appointment to the Senate sparked off a bitter internal row says the party leader, Mahendra Chaudhry, used him and then disposed of him.

Vijay Singh has told the Fiji Sun that Mr Chaudhry used him to get to the president, Ratu Josefa Iloilo.

Mr Singh says Mr Chaudhry approached him before the names of the senate appointees were announced to intercede with President Iloilo so he could be appointed leader of the opposition.

Mr Singh says he went to the president's village, Viseisei, and asked for permission to see Ratu Josefa.

He was told to convene a meeting with Labour's then coalition partner, the Party of National Unity, and make a joint submission to the president.

Mr Singh says Mr Chaudhry's non-appointment of a senator from PANU as well had come at a cost because the party had left the coalition with Labour.

Mr Chaudhry says he is saddened that the president's name has been into an internal party conflict.