?For anyone looking on carefully at the People's National Movement's (PNM) rally in Woodford Square, Port-of-Spain, on Sunday, it would have been clear that the conflict between the political leader of the party, Patrick Manning and Dr Keith Rowley is far from over.
In fact, in the context of the PNM seeking to make a significant and collective impact on the live and television audiences that it is placing its differences behind it, the public showing of the conflict between the two major figures in the party could not have been welcomed. In making his way to the platform when called as the candidate for Diego Martin West, Dr Rowley seemed to have gone out of his way to take up a stem of balisier and wave it to the crowd, telling anyone who was interested that his loyalty is with the party and perhaps not the leader. On returning to his seat, Dr Rowley avoided walking and greeting the line of the party hierarchy, with the political leader along the way, and only seemingly as an afterthought stretched a hand to Mr Manning and chairman Conrad Enill. Indeed, he would have had to walk directly pass them if he had chosen to ignore them.
One newspaper photograph in which the Prime Minister is shaking Dr Rowley's hand but avoiding his eyes told another story of Mr Manning's own reaction to his former deputy political leader and major platform speaker. And that leads to what has subsequently come out: Dr Rowley has confirmed reports that he was asked to speak on the platform but declined.
The Diego Martin West candidate gave no details as to why he declined. However, one report was that he was given a mere four minutes at the platform and he may have felt that to be inadequate to his needs and his stature in the party. However, there are those who are also saying that Dr Rowley, having broken the story of Calder Hart and Udecott being out of the control of the Cabinet and the Prime Minister, would find it difficult to in good conscience go on a platform to defend same. All of this raises the larger question as to what role Dr Rowley will play in the campaign as platform speaker. Asked by reporters to comment on the matter of his appearing on national platforms, Dr Rowley said he will soon respond to that. Perhaps the plan is to do so when he addresses his own platform scheduled for Thursday evening in the Diego Martin constituency.
When questioned on the subject by reporters on Monday, Prime Minister Manning said he had no problem with his nemesis as a speaker on the platform.
As to the need for and popularity of Dr Rowley, when he arrived on stage at Woodford Square his reception was second to none. And if there were any questions about his confirmation as candidate, such a thought must have immediately disappeared from the minds of anyone harbouring them. He clearly is not a Penny Beckles or Peter Taylor who can be easily got rid of without consequences. So the larger question remains: What is going to happen in the relationship between Dr Rowley and Mr Manning post-election? If the PNM wins, it would be difficult to see how Prime Minister Manning will appoint him to his Cabinet, too much water having flowed beneath that bridge. If the PNM loses, the challenge for political leadership of the party will certainly materialise with Dr Rowley at the head of such a challenge.
The latter may find justification in an election loss to mount another quest for the leadership over a man who would have twice called early polls and lost the government.