San Ġwann Councillor Resigns From PN In Protest At ‘Vulgar Way’ Adrian Delia Was Treated
San Ġwann councillor David Dalli has resigned from the Nationalist Party and will stay on as an independent councillor in protest at the way Adrian Delia was treated ahead of last weekend’s election.
“I disagree with the establishment and the vulgar way they treated their leader,” Dalli told Lovin Malta. “It’s game over for me. I cannot work with people like Jason Azzopardi who stabbed Delia in the heart and never accepted him from day one. What’s the use?”
Dalli said he has nothing against new Opposition leader Bernard Grech but suggested he was pushed forward by Delia’s internal critics.
“First they said Adrian Delia wasn’t good because he’s an outsider but Grech’s an outsider too, so how is that good?”
Asked whether Grech can win a general election, Dalli used a traditional Maltese saying:
“Ħmar jitla‘ l-arblu pero ma naħsibx li dan il- ħmar se jitla‘ l-arblu
Although Delia pledged his loyalty to Grech last weekend, several supporters of the outgoing leader reacted to the outcome of last weekend’s vote by resigning their party positions.
Ħamrun councillor Louise Tedesco, Birkirkara councillor Deborah Mifsud, Marsa councillor Charmaine Aquilina and Birżebbuġa councillor Doriana Portelli have all resigned, while Mario Dalli resigned from the Valletta sectional committee, Alan Said from the Rabat committee, Paul Bartolo from the Floriana committee, and Rennie Muscat and Tessie Farrugia from the Bormla committee.
Andre Grech, who was one of Adrian Delia’s main canvassers, has resigned as president of the PN’s SME forum, denouncing the “three years of politics of hate” pushed forward by Delia’s internal critics.
Social media influencer and prominent PN supporter Terry ta’ Bormla has quit the party altogether and has switched her allegiance to the Labour Party.
Doriana Portelli (left) said she cannot work with Adrian Delia's internal critics
On Xarabank today, Doriana Portelli said her principles wouldn’t allow her to work with people who “preached hated” against Delia.
“I resisted their political way of thinking for months so how can I get in line with them?” she asked.
Delia responded that it isn’t easy to work with people who “call their Nationalist siblings rats, who split society up and say there are third-class Nationalists”, ostensibly a reference to comments passed by lawyer Andrew Borg-Cardona.
“What do they mean by third-class? Who made these classes? Who are these people who think they’re better than others? What do they have that others don’t?”
“I thank you, Doriana, and I understand your pain. I’m not only an MP but a former party leader so despite everything I suffered, my conscience and morality dictate that my responsibility is what’s best for the party.”
Asked about the post-election resignations today, Grech said he’s started the process of reaching out to these people to convince them that he feels their pain and that they can work together for the good of the PN and Malta.
On a more positive note, he said that 100 people have become tesserati since Sunday, a sign that a “new generation” has started.
What do you make of this latest resignation?
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