Claims Ketan Lal Throws Tantrums Over Committee Positions

Some members of the G16 bloc, who wished to remain anonymous, have reached out to Duavata News, alleging that Ketan Lal regularly throws tantrums when he is not assigned to a parliamentary committee or left out in a meeting.

They claim that he often name-drops former FijiFirst leaders in an attempt to get his way, creating frustration among the group. According to these members, many within G16 are fed up with his behaviour, and it is true that he is unpopular among them.

They also say that Lal, who got 617 votes in the last election, entered Parliament on the back of former Prime minister Frank Bainimarama and has since had very little to show for his political career and hasn't done much apart from posting scathing attacks on social media.

These allegations come after Minister for Climate Change, Mosese Bulitavu, publicly called on Opposition Leader Inia Seruiratu and his core group—who are expected to form a new political party—to remove Faiyaz Koya and Ketan Lal from G16 and strip them of all parliamentary committee roles.

Bulitavu claims that Koya and Lal are using their positions to boost their profiles ahead of the next election, leveraging the parliamentary platform for political gain. He further alleges that the online popularity polls they have set up are designed to undermine Seruiratu and his group, who are in the process of forming a new opposition party.

"Lal was also one of the MP's of the former FijiFirst party who did not vote against the pay rise, choosing instead to abstain but has since claimed he was against the vote and receives full pay."

Bulitavu asserts that Koya and Lal lack support within the Opposition and are incapable of challenging Seruiratu’s leadership.

Lal Responds: “G16 is Stronger Than Ever”

In response to Bulitavu’s statements, Ketan Lal took to social media, dismissing the claims as misinformation aimed at destabilizing the group.

“G16 is stronger than ever, and no amount of misinformation will change that,” Lal wrote. He also refuted suggestions that he is unpopular among Opposition MPs, stating that if that were the case, they would not have elected him as Deputy Whip.

Meanwhile, Faiyaz Koya’s position within G16 has also come under scrutiny. Despite calls for his removal, Koya remains aligned with Opposition Leader Inia Seruiratu, with their political partnership dating back to the formation of FijiFirst.

He took a shot at other politicians from his former party, stating that his relationship with the opposition leader is far stronger than the alliances of those who have hopped between parties like musical chairs.

Amidst the growing tension, Opposition Leader Inia Seruiratu has called for unity within the G16 bloc, urging members to focus on their shared political goals rather than internal rivalries.

We have sent questions to Hon. Ketan Lal and Hon. Inia Seruiratu and they have yet to respond.