Fiji's rival parties to unite for 2014 elections

Submitted by admin4 on 27 March 2012 - 11:16pm
International
By IANS,

Suva : Ahead of the 2014 elections, leaders of Fiji's two rival political parties -- Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewe (SDL) ni Vanua Party and the Fiji Labour Party (FLP) -- are likely to join hands to contest the polls.

FLP and SDL were once the biggest political rivals with the former representing the Indians in the country and the latter representing other Fijians, Xinhua reported.

On Tuesday, SDL party leader and the former prime minister Laisenia Qarase told media that his party was willing to join FLP leader Mahendra Chaudhry and some other political parties despite their past differences.

"I think it is a very good idea and the SDL party stands ready to enter into dialogue with the Fiji Labour Party and possibly with other political parties and other organisations that think alike, he said.

"I think it is important that we find some common grounds and fight the next election on those common grounds," the leader added.

Chaudhry, of the Fiji Labour Party, said despite deep differences in the past, there was nothing strange in uniting with rival political parties when it comes to salvaging the country from a government that suppresses the people through despotism.