Canada: Chandra Arya excluded from Liberal Party’s leadership race, calls process into question

Toronto: Indo-Canadian MP Chandra Arya has been barred from participating in the race to select the next leader of the ruling Liberal Party. In the wake of the communication from the party, the three-term MP said the decision raised questions about the “legitimacy” of the leadership race.

That decision by the party was announced by Arya on Sunday, as he posted on X, “Today, I was informed by the Liberal Party of Canada that I will not be permitted to enter the leadership race. While I await their official communication, I am carefully considering my next steps.”

“This decision raises significant questions about the legitimacy of the leadership race and, by extension, the legitimacy of the next Prime Minister of Canada,” he added, in the statement.

No reason has bene attributed for the disqualification, though the agency Canadian Press cited a Liberal Party spokesperson pointed to a section of the national leadership rules which bars a candidate if they were deemed to be “manifestly unfit for the office”.

The agency added that could be “due to public statements, past improper conduct, a lack of commitment to democracy, or other reputational or legal jeopardy,” as per the rules.

Arya thanked the hundreds of volunteers across Canada who worked “tirelessly” to “mobilise support” for his leadership campaign. Arya was the first person to declare for the race, when he made that announcement on January 12.

The race resulted from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s announcement on January 6 that he intended to resign from the post once the party selected a new leader. That process is to conclude on March 9.

The leading candidates include former Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland and former central banker Mark Carney. Former Cabinet Minister Karina Gould and former Indo-Canadian MP Ruby Dhalla are also among the prospective candidates.

Dhalla, who entered the race a day before the deadline of January 23, thanked Arya for his efforts, adding, “Through your campaign you engaged many new Canadians which inspired people all across Canada.”

She also reached out to his network, as she said, “To all of Mr Arya’s supporters, I welcome you to join our movement. I promise to stand up for you, win for our party, and fight for our country.”

“I remain steadfast in my commitment to working hard for the benefit of all Canadians. With a focused approach, I will continue striving to ensure a secure and prosperous future for the generations to come,” Arya said in his statement.

Arya has been an outspoken critic of the pro-Khalistan movement in Canada and also met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on August 12. He was criticised during the leadership campaign for his lack of French.