Nationalist Party leader Lawrence Gonzi yesterday critically engaged his long-time friend and potential rival George Abela for the first time since the Labour leadership contest started.

Referring to the MLP leadership race in the closing address of the party's general council yesterday, Dr Gonzi said he was worried by repeated statements that Labour should choose as new leader that person who would give the party its biggest chance of winning the next election.

This is one of the main arguments being made to promote Dr Abela's candidature, given his popularity with non-Labour leaning voters and floaters.

"Since when has politics been reduced simply to winning elections rather than serving... as a citizen? I would like to see a person become leader because he is able to lead and not is able to win, because the real test comes after victory, 24 hours after winning, when you have to start taking tough decisions," Dr Gonzi said as he argued for the party to remain rooted in its principles.

Dr Abela's reply was prompt during a meeting for delegates in Gozo: "The Prime Minister has said it is not right for leadership candidates to be constantly stressing the importance of leading the party to victory but that they should rather be saying what ought to be done for the good of Malta and Gozo.

"What is needed today in order to benefit Malta and Gozo is for the MLP to win," Dr Abela said, earning applause from those present.

Dr Abela and Dr Gonzi have trodden the same ground at university and within the Catholic Action Movement, a fact that has led some within the Labour Party to look askance at Dr Abela's willingness to take a tough stand with his political rival, should he become Labour's next leader on Thursday.

"We have to take the Nationalist Party and Dr Gonzi head-on," Dr Abela said yesterday.

Concluding the general council, Dr Gonzi said the party was closing one cycle and opening another that would usher in new faces and a renewal of the party's structures.

He called on the party president to convene the 39 councillors who had submitted their names for Friday's election of the executive committee and have them update a report the party prepared 10 years ago on how to improve its communications network. The councillors are to come up with a document that would serve as "the basis for the next general election victory in five years' time".

He also called for a discussion on remodelling the party structures around the government's highlighted policy pillars: Environment, economy and education. "It's time for the party's structures to reflect national challenges," he said.

The move would further change the party into the mould inspired by Dr Gonzi, who when, elected party leader in 2004, changed structures that had been in place for decades.

Speaking about outgoing general secretary Joe Saliba, who yesterday delivered his final address to the council, Dr Gonzi said the party was saluting the outgoing administration, not because it intended to stop there, but because it was looking ahead, intent on renewing itself.

On this note, Mr Saliba said to a standing ovation that he would be with the party for the next election, despite stepping down as general secretary.

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