The Congress of the People (COP) national executive voted, by a majority, that the party should part ways with the Government.

An emergency national executive meeting was originally scheduled for today, but convened on Monday night to discuss, inter alia, the party's future with the People's Partnership Government.

Sources at the meeting revealed yesterday that at the top of the agenda was the party's standing with the People's Partnership and its opinion on the now controversial Section 34 of the Administration of Justice (Indictable Proceedings) Act.

In an informal vote, a "paltry five or six" voted that the COP stay with the party, while the majority—14 or 15—voted that the party part ways with the Government.

"I didn't count, but it was the majority...(COP leader Prakash) Ramadhar asked for more time, but the vote was there," the COP insider revealed. Ramadhar, at a press briefing yesterday, said he did call for a meeting with the Prime Minister, but would not say what would be the topic of discussion.

Another source also confirmed the vote, saying that it put the COP leader in a difficult position. The source revealed that a sitting COP Minister and another Member of Parliament were among those to vote for the party to stay.

While two separate sources confirmed the vote and the mandate, COP chairman Joseph Toney refuted the claim.

"There was no vote, formal, informal or otherwise and you can quote me on that," he said in a telephone interview last night.

When asked if such a vote was taken, where he would stand, he said: "If the national executive voted we go, we go."