St. George’s, April 29, 2012 – Plans appear to be in the making to rid the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) of members that Prime Minister Tillman Thomas has accused of trying to “undermine’’ him, and his supporters have labeled as troublemakers, gang members and leftists.

The Prime Minister, backed by a few of his cabinet colleagues and some party supporters, has been holding a series of “Solidarity Sunday Meetings.’’

At a recent meeting in Parish of St. Patrick, of what some are calling the “Fight the Leftist Movement’’ of the NDC, Thomas said that thought is being given “to ensure that we get a cohesive and unified front’’ for Grenada’s next general election that is due by 2013.

“It’s a matter that we’re giving some consideration,’’ the NDC leader and Prime Minister said. “We cannot reveal all our strategies. You may have ideas you could share with us, too, of how we could go about doing it.’’

Thomas emphasized that, “we have to find a way of dealing with the problem we’re faced with.’’

At the meeting, former NDC chairman Glen Noel identified several persons he claimed had conspired to control the executive of the party with the aim of removing Thomas as leader of the National Democratic Congress.

Noel, the Minister of Information, alleged that the conspirators have included NDC general secretary and Minister for Tourism, Peter David; Labour Minister Glynis Roberts; Social Development Minister Sylvester Quarless; former Minister of Works, Joseph Gilbert; and former senator and interim leader of the NDC, businessman Jerome Joseph.

Meanwhile, a group of what is referred to as “senior and long-standing members of the NDC’’ has denied that anyone is challenging Prime Minister Thomas for leadership.

“The issue is the way he treats and labels those with viewpoints other than his,’’ the group said in a statement signed by Collin La Barrie, a former NDC chairman.

The statement added that “detractors who are making references to leftists, resurrecting labels associated with the turbulent period of our history, are bent on destroying the NDC.’’

The group said that it is “working hard to find a solution’’ to the party’s problem.

“It may mean the emergence of an NDC that may have to shed some individuals who refuse to abide by the democratic principles which govern the way we carry out the business of the party. Rest assured it will be a stronger NDC that emerges from this experience,’’ the statement said.