Speaker of parliament and Democratic Progressive Party ex-presidential aspirant who fell at the party primaries, Henry Chimunthu Banda, today gave a cold shoulder to the party’s torchbearer in the 2014 elections, Peter Mutharika, when the latter visited his constituency yesterday, October 19.

Reports from Nkhotakota South where Chimunthu Banda is the Member of Parliament indicates that the MP of the area did not attend the whistle stop rally organized by his party President in the area. No reason was given for his absence.

Since his defeat at the party convention held in March this year at COMESA hall in Blantyre, Chimunthu Banda has been reported to be seeing eye-to-eye with Mutharika whom he had earlier endorsed while the late Mutharika was alive.

Chimunthu has ever been quoted as saying that his failure to attend the party functions is due the workload in his office as the Speaker of Parliament. His failure to attend today’s rally, however, has pitted Chimunthu as being against the party leader by other party supporters.

It has been alleged in other quarters that Chimunthu Banda is a member of the Peoples’ Party and is only failing to declare his interests in public. The allegation gathered momentum with his bold decision to challenge late Mutharika’s brother at the March convention.