The National Alliance (NA) Party will be open to all parties for negotiation if invited by the Governor-General to form the next government, says Patrick Pruaitch.
“We will go to the election as we are, and after the election period there is a negotiation period,” the NA parliamentary leader said.
NA Party has been in Government in the last 15 years but broke ranks with the People’s National Congress (PNC) Party last week, after Pruaitch was removed from his Treasury Ministry portfolio by the prime minister.
For 10 consecutive years, NA was the major partner in the coalition government under former Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare.
“The decision to sideline myself is in fact, the prime minister saying to National Alliance, it’s time to break marriage and move on,” Pruaitch said, when announcing the party caucus decision.
“It is an opportunity for National Alliance to go to the polls and seek mandate from our people, and that is what National Alliance is good at.
“We will try to win more seats to form the next alternative government for Papua New Guinea.”
Meanwhile, Prime Minster Peter O’Neill is holding his cards close to his chest.
“We do not speculate on our people’s decisions that are yet to be made at the elections, let’s see the outcome of the elections,” O’Neill told Loop PNG.