Asha Kissoon says she played the game: ‘This is politics, not church’

Dr Asha Kissoon, who defied her political partners and refused to vacate her seat in the National Assembly, has said she has no apologies for what she did.

Her decision, she explained, was driven by being stonewalled and berated by those who were supposed to support her. Refusing to be a puppet, she said she fought for her place in the National Assembly and kept it, arguing that to hand it over would have been dangerous.

“I need to remind people that this is politics, not church,” she told the News Room on Friday.

She said her decision has since been justified, as her replacement would have come from ANUG, which has now teamed up with Azruddin Mohamed, who, along with his father and their businesses, has been sanctioned by the United States.

Dr Kissoon stressed that she was not paid, coerced, or asked by the ruling PPP to hold on to her seat, reasoning that with a majority, the PPP did not rely on her vote for anything.

Dr Kissoon’s TNM party, together with the LJP and ANUG, had contested the 2020 general elections as one; when the election results showed their combined votes only secured them a single seat, they agreed to rotate it.

LJP’s Lennox Shuman went first, and next it was ANUG’s turn. But it was ANUG that decided to let TNM go next, and Dr Kissoon took up the seat and served as Deputy Speaker.

The parties had agreed that any contributions in the National Assembly would be collectively decided.

However, Kissoon said that once she entered the National Assembly, she did not receive the promised support. She said she would submit motions, bills and other information but received no feedback.

So when it came time to vote on issues in the National Assembly, she went ahead. She said the first time she did so, she was rebuked and told she didn’t have permission to vote.

Dr Kissoon said that was the turning point when she decided it was in the country’s best interest to remain in the seat.

So, Dr Kissoon said, she decided to play the game — and would do it all over again.

“I have accepted that I broke the agreement, but I am okay with the decision I made.”