Anjali Appadurai to address her disqualification from B.C. NDP leadership race
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- Published on Sunday, 29 November -0001 16:00
- Written by editor
Only challenger's removal from race leaves David Eby set to become next party leader and next premier
Anjali Appadurai is set to address her disqualification from the B.C. NDP leadership race at a news conference outside the legislature in Victoria.
CBC will livestream the event here at 2 p.m. PT.
Appadurai's disqualification leaves David Eby the sole candidate and presumptive heir to the premier's chair when John Horgan steps down. Horgan had planned to retire on Dec. 3, but with Eby now set to be sworn in as party leader on Friday, that date could be moved forward.
The party announced the disqualification Wednesday night after a closed-door meeting of executives.
According to a leaked report from the party's chief electoral officer Elizabeth Cull, Appadurai broke campaign rules by improperly co-ordinating with third parties to encourage more people to sign up for party membership by Sept. 4 to vote in the leadership race.
"Because no other remedy can adequately address the failings and breaches of the Appadurai campaign... in this leadership election contest, the CEO has reached the difficult conclusion that Ms. Appadurai should be disqualified as a candidate," read the report.
On Thursday, Elections B.C. announced that because of the decision, it had closed a review into possible political contributions from environmental and political advocacy group Dogwood B.C. to Appadurai's campaign."The review was initiated after complaints were received alleging that Dogwood B.C.'s activities in the B.C. NDP leadership race may constitute in-kind political contributions under the Election Act. The act requires approved leadership contestants to only accept political contributions from eligible individuals, and file financing reports with Elections B.C.," reads the statement.
Appadurai had said earlier that she expected to be tossed out of the race — calling it a sign the party is trying to "control a situation'' where she signed up far more supporters than Eby, who has the backing of most NDP cabinet members.
"It was the politics of the campaign — not the process, personnel or tactics — that attracted the number of members that it did," she wrote in a series of tweets.
Sonia Theroux, co-executive director of Leadnow.ca, said the NDP will likely be in damage control for the next few months over the decision to disqualify Appadurai.
"There's a perception that this decision was made entirely because she was competitive and because this party cannot make space for new voices and new faces," said Theroux, speaking to CBC Radio's On the Island host Gregor Craigie.
"From my view, having read the report and having read Anjali's response, I don't think it was at the level of warranting disqualification," she said.