Adrian Delia has rejected criticism that failure to bring Chris Said on board as his deputy was a sign of weak leadership, saying that unity within the Nationalist Party depended on “collective interest” and not individuals.

The PN leader was replying to questions sent by The Sunday Times of Malta following Friday’s developments when it emerged that Dr Said, who had lost narrowly in the leadership race against Dr Delia, would not be running for the post of deputy leader for parliamentary affairs.

Soon after being elected leader, Dr Delia had held out an olive branch to Dr Said, urging him to become his second-in-command, in an attempt to heal the divisions created in the run-up to the bitter contest.

Instead, the election, which will be decided by thousands of card-carrying members, will be between PN whip David Agius and Edwin Vassallo.

It is set for November 18 and will be held concurrently with that for deputy leader of party affairs, which is being contested by Robert Arrigo and Toni Bezzina.

PN sources said that failure to rope in Dr Said was treated among the grassroots as Dr Delia’s first setback since taking the helm of the party. These concerns also come in the wake of a Malta Today survey which showed that the PN leader’s support among a significant chunk of party activists was fragile.

I will not endorse any candidate in these elections

Asked for his reaction to the development, Dr Delia downplayed the concerns, saying he was looking forward to working with all members of the parliamentary group, including those to be elected deputy leaders.

“The PN is all about the collective interest of the party - that is what makes us united,” he said.

However, he pointed out that he would keep his distance from the four deputy leadership candidates

“As I said previously, I will not endorse any candidate in these elections, as I am eager to work hand in hand with our member’s choices,” Dr Delia told this newspaper.

In order to run for deputy leader, Dr Said had laid down a condition, that he would be uncontested, saying he did not want to take part in a third election in four months. The Gozitan MP backed his request by citing two precedents involving the late Guido de Marco in 1977 and his son Mario in 2013.

Though Dr Delia was willing to consent to Dr Said’s request, sources told this newspaper that he had a condition of his own: the new PN leader wanted the other deputy leader (party affairs) to come from those MPs who had endorsed his leadership bid.

However, such a plan immediately hit a snag as both Robert Arrigo and David Agius were adamant of forging ahead with their respective campaigns for deputy leader party affairs and parliamentary affairs respectively.  While Mr Arrigo immediately refused to play ball, Mr Agius took his time but ultimately did not budge, and submitted his nomination last Friday, a few hours before the deadline.

Mr Agius’s decision was immediately followed by a statement from Dr Said in which he announced he was staying out.

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