ANALYSIS: HOW SODELPA WON MORE SEATS IN THIS GENERAL ELECTION

Laz Wainimala FijiFirst election campaign was more effective on the notion that it purely concentrated on Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama's public popularity and recognition. Attorney General SayedKhaiyum also did exceedingly well after the Fijian people start recognizing his true value of sound intellect and contribution to Fiji's economic growth during his parliamentary tenures and importantly his national budget consultation's tour. This campaign strategies are always effective and quiet rewarding according to the current electoral process of proportional voting system. On the contrary, the vast improvement shown by Sodelpa's electoral results can be interpreted as such, Rabuka's public sympathy and political smart, strong nationalistic sentiments and electoral constituent strategies. Sitiveni Rabuka's trial and final acquittal during the two day election blackout dominated media attention which help catapulted his political standings and public sympathy, which must have gained him a few thousand votes. Although I may have disagreed with his political values and vision, but I was impressed with Rabuka's debate style and political wisdom. The second leaders debate on Straight Talk, surely impressed some undecided voters to swing Sodelpa's way. It is quiet understandable that still a majority of Itaukei will always vote on traditional allegiance, so a political party like Sodelpa only need to tap on this very subject, in order to galvinazed, solidify and activate nationalistic sentiments and consciousness to win over their vote. However, the area where Sodelpa did very well in their campaign strategy, was not putting their whole eggs in one basket, so to speak. They knew they cannot match PM Bainimarama in this context, but by concentrating on constituent levels, having volunteer ground troops help promoting each candidates public recognition and value, really paid off well. Lynda Tabuya and Tanya Waqanika are classical examples, and kudos to them for their election success which they richly deserved. For FijiFirst, , it's a big lesson going forward, that you simply cannot always rely on the public recognition of Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama and his deputy Attorney General SayedKhaiyum to win future election. The party must start pushing forward young and progressive candidates, give them more mandates, freedom of thought and responsibilities to own the future. This might be Bainimarama's last election, so FijiFirst must take a leaf out of Sodelpa success, do a total review on their election strategies to determined what can be improved in future campaigns.