The growing popularity of the Move Forward Party (MFP) is not just a trend, says spokeswoman of the Progressive Movement Pannikar Wanich.
Those voters who are now being counted by the pollsters were always interested in the party without being influenced by the current online wave of publicity, she said. The party is doing increasingly well in polls amid significant buzz.
Speaking at a rally in Chiang Rai’s Mae Sai district yesterday, she cited the large number of attendees as evidence of the party’s broad appeal to voters.
“This means the MFP can get more votes in this election than the [now-dissolved] Future Forward Party did in the last,” said Ms Pannikar.
Ms Pannikar also said the MFP is ready to govern but still has a fall-back party in ready in case it, too, is dissolved.
The spokeswoman added that an over-idealistic belief in capitalism could sometimes block a country’s development, and could lead to parties prioritising anything but the needs of the voters who lifted them to power.
To eliminate that mindset, the MFP promises not to forget its “debt” to the public, said Ms Pannikar.
‘Think for yourself,’ says PPRP
The Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) does not buy into the idea of strategic voting and hopes voters will make up their own minds, says one of its election chiefs.
Sakoltee Phattiyakul, a member who is in charge of the party’s election strategy, claimed at a rally in Lat Phrao district yesterday that the notion of strategic voting, along with recent poll results, had the psychological effect of encouraging voters to vote for those who were more popular.
He said the idea came from an institute that does not have a neutral voice, which might affect the choice of the voters.
The PPRP had also conducted its own polls; however, the decision is solely in voters’ hands, not pollmakers’, Mr Sakoltee said.
“With that said, we suggest you try to choose reliable sources for your media and then cast your vote for whichever candidate you like the most without caring about any polls or strategies,” added Mr Sakoltee.
Mr Sakoltee also talked about the party’s take on the traffic problem in Huai Khwang and Wang Thonglang districts, where the Yellow Line project was covered, as well as their public health policy.
Varawut not in the minority
The Chartthaipattana Party yesterday opposed talk of a minority government taking office after the polls, saying such a coalition would be short-lived and likely to result in House dissolution in less than a year.
“It is also a waste of money and time. The national administration would be disrupted as the country goes on hold,” said party leader Varawut Silpa-archa.
He also rejected talk about the emergence of two opposing political camps, saying the focus on coalitions should wait until after the May 14 election.
Mr Varawut, accompanied by his sister and chief adviser, Kanchana, and his mother, Khunying Jaemsai, yesterday led party-list candidates to meet people in U Thong district in Suphan Buri, a party stronghold.