The Prime Minister was in favour of having Nationalist MP Franco Debono contest the next election but his nomination, should be decide to submit it, would have to be approved by the party's executive, Dr Debono claimed this evening.
Speaking on TVM's programme Dissett, Dr Debono said that people in his district also wanted him to contest but he had not yet decided whether or not to do so. He would decide at the opportune moment.
Should he decide to contest, his decision would have to be approved by the party's executive.
Dr Debono some days ago voted with the Opposition in a no confidence motion which led to the resignation of Home Affairs Minister Carm Mifsud Bonnici.
He defended his behaviour and said that with his actions, he had placed the national interest before his own.
Dr Debono was also asked about Labour's motion which led to the resignation of Richard Cachia Caruana from Malta's ambassador in the EU but which he voted against, in spite of his criticism for the man.
He said that the motion had major procedural problems because it was ministers who should shoulder responsibility for their civil servants under the concept of individual ministerial responsibility.
Also taking part in this evening's programme was Nationalist MP Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando who said that although party discipline was important, one should not expect any member of Parliament to vote against one's conscience.
Dr Pullicino Orlando voted with the Opposition on the motion which led to Mr Cachia Caruana's resignation.
He said that whatever he said in Parliament, he had been telling the Prime Minister for the past four years. This was why he had dediced not to contest the next election. For he could not accept to contest an election with a party which was promoting an apartheid policy, he said.
He said he was willingly used by the PN to win the last election and had been coached by Richard Cachia Caruana who had told him the party needed him to portray Dr Sant as a bully.
Nationalist MP Jesmond Mugliett who abstained on the motion censuring Mr Cachia Caruana, was also on Dissett and said that he reached his decision on how to vote on the day the vote was taken.
He warned that the public were seeing the party's executive as the PN's politburo.
Asked for his opinion of Mr Cachia Caruana he said he was a very valid person who gave a major contribution to the country but it was not right for one person, rather than a team, to be in charge of all negotiations.