Hindustan Times (Bathinda)

CANADA FEDERAL ELECTIONS: JAGMEET SINGH’S NDP EMERGES WEAKER

- Anirudh Bhattachar­yya letterschd@hindustant­imes.com LEADERSHIP CHALLENGED

TORONTO: A week earlier, New Democratic Party (NDP) leader Jagmeet Singh appeared a potential kingmaker in Ottawa, but a day after the federal elections in Canada he was facing questions over whether he was concerned over a possible leadership challenge from within the party.

Singh, who was re-elected to the House of Commons from Burnaby South in British Columbia, didn’t appear troubled, as he said, “Not at all,” when asked whether he expected such a scenario.

However, he has led his party to a far weaker performanc­e than four years earlier: Winning 24 seats, it has 20 fewer than in 2015, it’s national vote share has slipped from nearly 20% to less than 16%, and it’s no longer even the third largest group in the House of Commons with the Bloc

Quebecois getting eight seats more.

The “Singh surge” after the election debates led to buzz in political circles in Ottawa that the NDP leader, the first from a visible minority to occupy that post for a federal party, could well be eyeing a possible coalition with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal Party, and even a strong say in the government.

There was even speculatio­n Singh would exchange support for getting the post of deputy PM.

Singh spokes to Trudeau after the election results were declared, but as the PM gave his speech, he never mentioned that conversati­on though he spoke of the “voice of Quebec”.

With 157 seats, close enough to the majority figure of 170, Trudeau had options of who he works with, whether it’s the Bloc or the NDP. Singh was disappoint­ed with his party’s show in his home province of Ontario, as he said, “We’re going to figure out what we can do and how we can make sure we get our message across. I don’t have an answer for you right now, but I know that’s something that matters to me.”

 ?? REUTERS ?? NDP leader Jagmeet Singh speaks to supporters after being re-elected in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada.
REUTERS NDP leader Jagmeet Singh speaks to supporters after being re-elected in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada.
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