A libel writ has been filed against the Fiji Labour Party leader, Mahendra Chaudhry, and the National Farmers Union of which he is general secretary in the Supreme Court of New South Wales in Australia.
The FIJI SUN reports that the writ has been filed by a leading Fiji politician of the 70's and then general secretary of the National Federation Party, Karam Ramrakha, who is now a Sydney barrister.
In the writ, Mr Ramrakha claims Mr Chaudhry libelled him in the book "Children of the Indus" published by the National Farmers Union in May.
The relevant section refers to events after the April 1987 general election when the Alliance Party led by Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara lost.
The book claims that Mr Ramrakha and Mrs Irene Jai Narayan allegedly informed the then governor general, Ratu Sir George Cakobau, that then NFP leader, Siddiq Koya, did not enjoy the support of all party MPs.
The book claims that "at the hour of his triumph Mr Koya had been stabbed in the back by his own people."
The governor general then appointed Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara as minority prime minister.
Mr Ramrakha say the allegations are false and have damaged his reputation.
He has sued Mr Chaudhry and the National Farmers Union for defamation.
