'Silent rift' between Berri, Jumblat over electoral alliances

A silent rift is growing between Speaker Nabih Berri and Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat, ad-Diyar newspaper reported Thursday.

The daily said that, according to sources, Berri is very upset with Jumblat's alliance with Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea.

The sources told ad-Diyar that Berri is also upset with Jumblat's stance on the Beirut's port investigation and with his bias towards Lead Investigator Judge Tarek al-Bitar.

Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah had said earlier this month that any LF's ally in the upcoming parliamentary elections is an ally to the "killers" of "the Tayouneh martyrs."

Berri will not support any list that includes LF's candidates, the daily said.

For his part, Berri has agreed to include anti-Jumblat Druze candidates to the Shiite Duo's list in the Beirut II, West Bekaa and Baabda electoral districts.

In Hasbaya, Berri had decided on the name of Marwan Khair al-Din without consulting Jumblat. The latter agreed on the name after it was announced, sources said, while other sources told ad-Diyar that the decision had been made by consensus between Berri, Jumblat and Lebanese Democratic Party leader Talal Arslan.

Meanwhile, other sources said these disagreements will not affect the Berri-Jumblat relationship, as Berri was keen on not giving the preferential voice to Arab Tawhid Party leader Wiam Wahhab in the Chouf district.