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“Growing our party has always been and will continue to be my first priority. Rather than compete with each other, I want to unite us behind our shared visions and mutual goals”
Published Mar 26, 2024 • Last updated 26 minutes ago • 3 minute read
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Alberta NDP MLA Rakhi Pancholi poses for a photo in Calgary, Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024. Pancholi has announced she is running for the leadership of the Alberta NDP. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh
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Edmonton-Whitemud MLA Rakhi Pancholi has withdrawn from the Alberta New Democratic Party (NDP) leadership race, and endorsing former Calgary mayor Naheed Nenshi, who she claims has more than doubled the size of the party’s membership since entering the contest two weeks ago.
Pancholi made the announcement via a news release early Tuesday.
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“Growing our party has always been and will continue to be my first priority. Rather than compete with each other, I want to unite us behind our shared visions and mutual goals,” she stated.
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“So today, I am announcing that I will be ending my campaign to be leader of the Alberta NDP.”
She wrote that all leadership candidates received a recent update on membership sales, the first since Nenshi entered the race, and claimed it showed his sizeable bump in membership sales.
“It’s an incredible accomplishment and invites so many more people into our movement,” she said in endorsing the former mayor.
She went on to state that dropping out from the race was not an easy decision to make, and thanked her family, campaign team, and supporters for their efforts.
“We made a deliberate choice to lead with hope and optimism on our campaign because that’s what Albertans told us – loud and clear,” she said.
“I have no doubt that our vision will be a north star within the Alberta NDP for years to come.”
The party’s executive director, Garett Spelliscy, said in a statement that the party had 16,224 members as of Dec. 31, 2023.
He added it was too soon to release any partial membership numbers, and that the party would wait until sales are complete and to ensure all new members are eligible.
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“At this stage, prior to this rigorous process and prior to the vote, it’s impossible to attribute membership sales to any individual leadership candidate,” he stated. “This process is essential to a fair and competitive race.”
He said the party will share the final number of eligible voters on the May 12 balloting deadline.
Pancholi had drawn endorsements from fellow MLAs Nagwan Al-Guneid, Rhiannon Hoyle, and Marie Renaud.
She is the second candidate to withdraw from the race after entering, joining Edmonton-City Centre MLA David Shepherd who stepped away shortly after the race began, citing health reasons.
There are now five candidate vying to replace outgoing leader Rachel Notley, with campaigns being open since Feb. 5.
Those include three current MLAs: former justice minister Kathleen Ganley, former health minister Sarah Hoffman, and Edmonton-Rutherford MLA Jodi Calahoo Stonehouse.
Nenshi formally joined the race on March 11.
And, labour leader Gil McGowan is also seeking the position.
Some of those candidates issued social media statements Tuesday hailing Pancholi’s efforts.
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Hoffman described Pancholi as a friend who ran a “thoughtful and stylish” campaign.
Ganley characterized Pancholi as her friend and colleague and thanked her for a “spirited campaign and the amazing ideas” she brought forward.
And, Nenshi thanked her for the endorsement and saluted her for a “courageous, thoughtful, and powerful campaign.”
The next key date in the race is April 22 which is the deadline to become a party member in order to vote in the leadership race.
Debates between the leadership candidates are scheduled for April 25 in Lethbridge, May 11 in Calgary, and June 2 in Edmonton.
The winner will be announced at a showcase event in Calgary on June 22.
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