By Thai Newsroom Reporters
MOVE FORWARD LEADER/PRIME minister-designate Pita Limjaroenrat made phone calls over the weekend to a number of Bhumjaithai, Palang Pracharath and other non-coalition MPs in search of their backing for his refreshed attempt to rise to power.
Helping Pita woo solid support from among the MPs not attached to the Move Forward-led coalition partners was Move Forward secretary-general Chaithawat Tulathon who made phone calls to those elected lawmakers asking them to cast yea votes for him in the second round of voting for prime minister during the upcoming Wednesday’s joint House/Senate meeting, partisan sources said.
Pita’s latest effort to secure solid support for elected premiership from the MPs and senators apparently followed last week’s first round of voting in which he had 51 votes short of a minimum of 375 as required by law.
The Move Forward leader had apparently given up on efforts to woo votes from the senators in addition to 13 unelected legislators who had cast yea votes for him alongside 311 elected MPs in the first round.
Pita had earlier offered to give up on his attempts to rise to power in case he failed for a second time on Wednesday and to leave it to a Pheu Thai partisan candidate for prime minister for whom all Move Forward MPs would cast yea votes as well.
The Bhumjaithai, Palang Pracharath and other non-coalition MPs were unexpectedly asked to do him a favour by giving him votes for prime minister on Wednesday, the sources said.
A total of 188 MPs currently remain in the non-coalition bloc whilst most of the senators were believed to not change their anti-Pita stand manifested in the first round of voting for prime minister last week.
On Wednesday’s second round of voting, Palang Pracharath leader Prawit Wongsuwan might probably be named prime minister in rivalry against Pita with the likelihood of the latter being outvoted by the former who had helped coup leader-turned-prime minister Prayut Chan-o-cha handpick all the senators four years earlier.
CAPTION:
Move Forward leader/prime minister-designate Pita Limjaroenrat and Pheu Thai leader Chonlanan Srikaew talking to reporters and shaking hands.Top photo: Matichon, Front Page photo: Thai Rath
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