Leader of Botswana Congress Party, Dumelang Saleshando, has said his party will be willing to talk to other parties after elections in case there was a hung parliament.
Botswana’s fluid and increasingly unpredictable political landscape has been pushing some observers to highlight the possibility of a hung parliament after the next General Elections.
Speaking at the occasion to admit Kentse Rammidi into the BCP fold, Saleshando said while his party will be contesting the elections alone, it will not be averse to opening dialogue with other parties in case there was no clear winner strong enough to form a government.
BCP pulled out of the umbrella talks after the collapse of Umbrella I in December.
Although the BCP has lately been the beneficiary of BNF’s hemorrhaging, including receiving former BNF Vice President Isaac Mabiletsa, Saleshando said the BNF is not the target of his party.
He said the target remains the Botswana Democratic Party.
“The BNF is only collateral damage. Our goal is to take state power not in 2019 but 2014. If we remain focused that can be achieved. 2019 can only be the target if we are sloppy,” said Saleshando.
He said there is no way Batswana can be expected to punish the BCP for not being a part of the Umbrella when there is enough evidence to prove that Umbrella cooperating parties have their own problems.
He said Umbrella is a catchphrase that Batswana do not relate to.
“Batswana are not attached to catchphrases like Umbrella. All they want is a coherent, stable party like the BCP,” he said.
Perhaps for the first time, Saleshando disclosed what promises to be BCP’s foremost pillar of their electoral strategy in the General Elections scheduled for 2014.
He said his party will concentrate on the youth of between 18 to 21 years who will be voting for the first time.
He said if the party concentrated on these people, then there was all chance that it could topple the ruling Botswana Democratic Party.
“We should never want to be in second position. If we remain focused we can easily attain state power in 2014,” said Saleshando.
