The New Economics Party (NEP) on Friday denied an accusation by its own members it allowed outsiders to have influence over political activities.
Deputy party leader Supadich Akasariksha called the allegation "groundless" since the party did not rely on financial help from outsiders. He also said the alleged influential persons in a petition of the three failed constituency MP candidates were actually party members.
"Our party does not have a financier. The claim was groundless," the party founder told a news conference.
The denial came after three of the party's 350 constituency MP candidates -- Ulaiporn Traiwongyoi, Prayong Sangsriha and Kromkrit Supakdee -- submitted a petition to the Election Commission (EC) on Thursday. The trio asked the EC to investigate and dissolve their own party.
Mr Supadich said the party was considering action against the three renegade members if they are found to have violated party rules.
The founder and Party leader Mingkwan Saengsuwan dismissed talk of internal rifts, saying all members were moving in the same direction.
"There are no 'cobras' in this party," Mr Supadich said, referring to Thai slang for politicians who switch sides. The slang is based on Aesop's fable The Farmer and the Viper.
Mr Mingkwan also repeated the party's stance of staying with the anti-coup Pheu Thai Party coalition in forming the government, saying the NEP and the pro-military Palang Pracharath (PPRP) did not share the same ideology.
"We will not join Palang Pracharath," the party leader said. "No is no. Our stance has never changed."
The prospects of NEP being dissolved have raised suspicions among politicial observers, who view it as a ploy to undermine the anti-coup coalition.
The NEP is projected to have six MPs, all from its party list. News was leaked earlier, purportedly from a PPRP source, that five of them would join the pro-military coalition, prompting speculation that the only one who would not defect could be Mr Mingkwan himself. The NEP later issued a statement dismissing the rumours.
It is viewed that if the NEP is disssolved, its MPs will be free to join other parties more easily without being branded "cobras".
