Ajay Gunness: "He himself doesn't know what he wants to do!"
The political scene continues to be marked by new developments. During his press conference on Saturday, April 4, Paul Bérenger announced that he will now sit as an independent, alongside Joanna Bérenger and Chetan Baboolall. This decision comes amid internal tensions within the Mauritian Militant Movement (MMM).
Seeing Paul Bérenger sit as an independent while remaining the leader of the MMM is something few would have imagined. However, when parliamentary work resumes on Tuesday, April 7, a new seating arrangement will formalize this unprecedented situation in the political landscape.
When questioned about this decision, Ajay Guness, Deputy Leader of the MMM and Minister of Public Infrastructure, expressed his confusion regarding the former Deputy Prime Minister's approach. "I have the impression that he himself does not know what he wants to do. He remains the leader but sits as an independent. He talks about a personal choice, but it doesn’t really align with our philosophy," he stated.
While Paul Bérenger's absence from the party's decision-making bodies continues to raise questions, Ajay Guness reassured that the internal workings of the MMM will remain intact. According to him, this situation will not impact the party's schedule. He indicated that party members should gain clarity after the delegates' assembly scheduled for April 11.
On his part, Rajesh Bhagwan, Secretary General of the MMM and Minister of the Environment, was much more assertive. He described the situation as "real cinema" and questioned the arguments put forward by Paul Bérenger, particularly regarding the delegates' list.
"He is looking for false pretexts," he remarked, asserting that the criticisms concerning this list are unfounded. According to him, the updating process was carried out transparently by the party's secretariat, with regular notifications for each modification.
He explained that after the last elections, various MMM bodies were invited to update their respective lists. "After the elections, we asked the party and its different cells to update their lists. We had to cancel the exercise around November 2025. The final list was supposed to be submitted by March 30.
How can he say that this list is not credible? Is the list for No. 16 and No. 20 not credible? I challenge him to check each one!" he asserted. For Rajesh Bhagwan, Paul Bérenger's attitude primarily stems from internal political considerations. He believes the leader of the MMM is already aware of the emerging trend within the party but refuses to accept it.
"The majority is in the camp of those who want the MMM to remain in government. He does not want to accept this and uses false pretexts. Let's wait for April 11 and we will see more clearly," he concluded. Political observers provide a deeper reading of the situation. For Ajay Daby, seeing the leader of the MMM sit as an independent represents an unusual configuration that reflects internal tensions.
He believes this stance transcends just a personal choice and highlights divergences within the party. "Before, it was about staying in government as a backbencher. But now, we see a different scenario. The group that has remained in government will not act overnight. They will proceed step by step," he explained. Meanwhile, Jocelyn Chan Low, a political observer and historian, takes a more nuanced approach. He believes that, although unique, the situation fits within an institutional logic.
"Institutionally, if a minister decides not to stay in government, it does not mean the party cannot remain. We are witnessing a transitional phase. Everything can change direction at any moment," he analyzed.
The Seating Arrangement Under Review
The reconfiguration of seats in the National Assembly has now begun. The Speaker, Shirin Aumeeruddy-Cziffra, indicated she had a phone conversation with Paul Bérenger following his decision to sit as an independent. She also mentioned having met with Joanna Bérenger and Chetan Baboolall in her office last Thursday to discuss their position.
In this context, the Speaker stated she asked the concerned parties to formalize their request in writing, in accordance with the procedures in place in the National Assembly. This step aims to officially frame the upcoming changes and ensure an orderly transition.
