By Paras Ramoutar
Port-of-Spain, Jan 5 (IANS) Basdeo Panday, the first person of Indian origin to become prime minister of Trinidad and Tobago during 1995-2001, is facing his one-time confidante Kamla Persad-Bissessar in a battle to retain the leadership of his United National Congress (UNC).

Persad-Bissessar, a young attorney, has challenged Panday for the top party post and the battle will be squared off Jan 24 when some 40,000 UNC members cast their ballots in the 41 electoral districts. This is the first time that Panday, who is considered the political leader of the over 400,000 East Indians (people of Indian origin) in the country, is being challenged so seriously. This is also the first time that a woman of any ethnic representation is contesting for the party leadership.

Persad-Bissessar was also the first woman to act as prime minister and leader of the opposition.

A poll conducted by the North American Catholic Teachers’ Association (NACTA) showed that Persad-Bissessar could beat Panday. NACTA is led by Vishnu Bisram, a Guyanese teacher living in New York.

UNC has its support in the rural communities where the bulk of the Indian diaspora live since their forefathers were brought here between 1845 and 1917 to work on the sugar plantations and to boost a faltering economy. They were primarily brought here from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

There is a three-way fight for the prized post of leader of the opposition.

The other contender is attorney Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj. Both Maharaj and Persad-Bissessar served as attorney-general at different points in the Panday administration.

Even non-UNC members, including people of African origin, have mounted support for Persad-Bissessar.

But Panday has the backing of 10 out of 15 Members of Parliament and four senators.

He has been in politics since 1976 and without the exception of the prime ministerial stint between 1995 and 2001, has been leader of the opposition.