Things are tight.
That’s how one close associate of Prime Minister Dr. Keith Mitchell has described the current political situation in the country as the ruling New National Party (NNP) tries to intensify its campaign for the upcoming general election.
He said that it is virtually a deadlocked situation with seats based on a recent opinion poll conducted for Prime Minister Mitchell.
He told THE NEW TODAY that the poll is showing the NNP leading in eight constituencies and the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) in seven seats.
The source identified the constituencies in which the Congress candidates are in good standing as St Patrick East (Dennis Cornwall) and St Patrick West (Joseph Andall), as well as St. David (Dickon Mitchell), Carriacou & Petite Martinique (Tevin Andrew), St George North-east (Ron Redhead), St John (Kerryne James) and South St George (Andy Williams).
The eight constituencies in which the NNP are leading at the moment are the four in St. Andrew’s – St Andrew North-east (Kate Lewis), St. Andrew North-west (Delma Thomas), St. Andrew South-east (Emmalin Pierre) as well as the Town of St George (Peter David), St George North-west (Prime Minister Mitchell), St George South-east (Gregory Bowen) and St Mark (Dr. Clarice Modeste-Curwen).
The source said the NNP is very concerned about these seven seats that are leaning in the direction of Congress and is looking at options in terms of putting together a strategic plan to win them on Election Day.
He attributed the drop in the poll for the NNP to the growing unpopularity of Prime Minister Mitchell in the country.
He said that unlike previous elections when the Grenadian leader was the major drawing card in helping candidates to win their seats, it is different now as some sections of the electorate believe that at age 75 it is time for him to give way to a younger person to run the country.
According to the source, if the NNP loses the upcoming general election the blame should be put on the shoulders of PM Mitchell as he should have called the election several months ago when the NDC was still in disarray.
He said that not a single person in the hierarchy of the ruling party is prepared to tell the Prime Minister that he is losing popularity among the Grenadian people.
In addition, he said that Congress was allowed to regroup under its new leader, 44-year old attorney-at-law, Dickon Mitchell and a new team of candidates.
The NNP is planning to end its ‘pocket meetings’ in the various villages by the end of May.
The ruling party is also in the process of holding meetings to launch its 15 candidates to contest the national poll.
Prime Minister Mitchell has told Grenadians that he will soon approach Governor General Dame Cecile La Grenade to issue the Proclamation for the dissolution of Parliament to pave the way for fresh general election.
The NNP won the last two elections in 2013 and 2018 with clean sweeps of all 15 seats at the polls.