Ramsden contemplates suing BDP

Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Wednesday February 19, 2014 18:06

 

Although Ramsden was cagey with details when approached for comment, sources close to him say the former Minister of Transport will take the BDP to court over the way it handled his primary elections’ appeal. Ramsden is aggrieved that although he appealed to the Appeals Committee he is yet to hear the outcome of the case.

This is despite the fact that the central committee has communicated the outcome of appeals to other appellants.

Ramsden confirmed to Mmegi that appealed through his lawyers, but the BDP did not acknowledged receipt of it. Mmegi is reliably informed that his appeal was one of those that were dismissed for failure to follow party procedures.

Mmegi leant that working against Ramsden is that rules and regulations of the BDP do not allow appellants to route appeals through lawyers. Also, Ramsden is said to have failed to go through the regional committee when registering his appeal. 

However, Ramsden insisted that the appeals board never called him to listen to his side of the story.

BDP executive secretary Sechele Sechele explained that they, as the appeals committee, could not write a letter to Ramsden as his case was not before them.

He said they are still writing letters to all those who appeared before BDP appeals’ committee.

“Letters are taking long because we do not have contacts for some of them to deliver the letters,” he said.  In the meantime, frustrated Ramsden supporters are said to be consulting BDP members in the area expressing their displeasure.

Some of the members feel that they should challenge BDP central committee decision in court while others feel it is a waste of time and rather they should contest as independent candidates.

Proving to be more threatening to the ruling party now is the growing mutterings that supporters of some losing candidates may vote for opposition parties.

Of late, some aggrieved BDP members of parliament having been speaking of intentions to quit the party and stand as independents.