Anutin denies ‘deal’ with Prawit, ready to be PM if his party forms the next government
Bhumjaithai Party leader Anutin Charnvirakul on Friday dismissed media reports that he had agreed to let General Prawit Wongsuwan, leader of the ruling Palang Pracharath Party, assume the premiership in their future coalition to be formed after the next general election.
“That is untrue. I have never said so and I have no such thought,” he said.
Anutin, who is serving as a deputy prime minister and the public health minister in the current Prayut administration, said that what he has confirmed is that he is ready to become prime minister if his party wins the election.
“Let me stress that the next prime minister must come from the party that can gather a majority of MPs in the House of Representatives. That’s a way to honour the people. Don’t distort the principle,” he told reporters.
Anutin said that General Prawit shared the same principle – the party with the most MPs in the coalition with a House majority should get the prime minister’s seat.
“In principle, political parties should not form the next government before the election. We have to listen to the voices of the people,” he said, referring to the election results.
Political analysts are expecting Bhumjaithai to win the most House seats among the current coalition parties in the next election.
The Bhumjaithai leader also said on Friday that people with good manners would not disclose what others spoke during a private conversation. “The person will disclose it by himself if he wants to.”
Media reports had cited sources familiar with the conversation between Anutin and Prawit during their dinner earlier this week. Anutin and other key Bhumjaithai figures met General Prawit and his lieutenants from the ruling party at the Five Provinces Bordering Forest Preservation Foundation, which is Prawit’s unofficial residence.
Deputy Prime Minister Prawit is the Palang Pracharath leader and is expected to be its sole prime ministerial candidate at the next election scheduled for May 14.
