A veteran Cook Islands Party politician says he helped his party to win the election, and leaving him out of cabinet would be a bigger betrayal than him leaving the party if he's not given a cabinet position.
The former speaker Norman George is denying media speculation he's held talks with the Democratic Party about going into coalition if he's not appointed deputy prime minister.
But Mr George says he created policies which got the party elected, such as invalidating the Toa petroleum contract, introducing dialysis machines, and buying back failed private mortgages.
He says he won't rule out any option if he is not in cabinet to drive them through.
"There are some very very critical policies that I said I will carry out. Now if my party doesn't appoint me to cabinet to do that then that is a betrayal of the electors of the Cook Islands. That's a far more serious act than for me to get into government somehow to get those promises fulfilled."
Norman George says his position within the Cook Islands Party is being questioned and he is not impressed with the attitude of the party hierarchy.
