THE United Democrats yesterday defended their decision to back AKEL presidential candidate Demetris Christofias over its own party member Costas Themistocleous.
Michalis Papapetrou, a member of the party, said the decision was simple mathematics. “By definition every single vote Mr Themistocleous will get will come from either Mr Kasoulides or Mr Christofias,” said Papapetrou.
He said this would ensure that incumbent President Tassos Papadopoulos would reach the second round in the February elections. “This is a first-round election and if Mr Papadopoulos gets to the second round he will be re-elected for sure,” Papapetrou added.
He said that was why the party felt that Themistocleous’ candidacy would be assisting Papadopoulos. “It’s simple mathematics.”
Not only was Themistocleous, who polled 1.2 per cent in the latest presidential survey published in Politis two days ago, not given the backing of his party, but he was “indirectly” asked to withdraw his candidacy.
On Sunday, the United Democrats voted to back Christofias. The party’s founder and honorary chairman George Vassiliou was elected President in 1989 with the support of AKEL, but the two parties have not seen eye to eye since the Communist Party helped Papadopoulos to get elected in 2003, and since the 2004 referendum on the Annan plan, which the United Democrats supported.
At Sunday’s congress, 87 United Democrat votes went to Christofias, 37 to Themistocleous and 11 to DISY candidate Ioannis Kasoulides. The central committee then voted 6:2 to back Christofias, so keen is the party to see the back of Papadopoulos.
Sources close to the party said yesterday that when Themistocleous announced he would be running for President, he had not even consulted or informed the party.
The source said that although he was a registered member, no one had laid eyes on him for two and a half years. “When the party was fighting for its life to enter parliament he didn’t even show up,” the source said. “Suddenly he appeared yesterday [Sunday].”
Themistocleous could not be reached for comment yesterday, but on Sunday he blasted the party for its decision. He said the decision was certain to put Papadopoulos back in the driving seat, with Christofias as the co-pilot yet again.
He said they were the ones who should leave the presidential race and accused Christofias of arrogance and blackmail because he was the one who had brought Papadopoulos to power in the first place.
Themistocleous said it would have been preferable to him if the party had supported Kasoulides, “because Mr Kasoulides said ‘yes’ in the referendum”.
