One of Dan Andrews own Labor MPs launched a scathing attack on the Premier calling him a ‘bullying’ that makes women ‘disappear’.
On Wednesday MP Kaushaliya Vaghela crossed the floor to vote against her own party in a parliamentary motion and has since claimed Premier Andrews made her ‘feel unsafe’.
The rogue MP said that members with in the party are ‘scared of the Premier because they know he is so spiteful’.
One of Dan Andrews (pictured) own Labor MPs launched a scathing attack on the Premier calling him a ‘bullying’ that makes women ‘disappear’
‘I’m scared of him and I’m scared about what he’s going to do. I was scared before I crossed the floor. He will take revenge. Everybody’s scared,’ she told the Herald Sun.
‘That’s why nobody says anything against him. And anyone, any woman that does, they disappear (from prominence), like Jenny Mikakos.’
In May last year she raised a complaint to Mr Andrews about bullying within the party that saw one staff member removed.
Much of the complaint centred around the Premier’s allies allegedly promising taxpayer-funded grants and jobs for ‘favours’.
Ms Vaghela also made the sensational claim she was afraid of being alone at events or in parliament for fears the Labor Party’s ‘gang’.
‘The gang says if people do what they say, then in return the gang will advise the Premier or the relevant minister in deciding who should get such roles, in returning favours,’ she wrote in the May letter.
On Wednesday MP Kaushaliya Vaghela (pictured) crossed the floor to vote against her own party in a parliamentary motion and has since claimed Premier Andrews made her ‘feel unsafe’
A government spokeswoman dismissed Ms Vaghela’s claims calling them untrue.
In December, the Labor party did not endorse Ms Vaghela in pre-selections but said her claims are not related to the move.
Emergency Services Minister Jaclyn Symes said she does not agree with Ms Vaghela’s charactisation of the Premier but has offered the rebel MP her support.
‘I believe that I have been supported extremely well by the Premier and any suggestion that is made that he is in any way a misogynist, this I cannot say more strongly is untrue,’ she said.
Labor have denied Ms Vaghela’s claims. Pictured: Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews and wife Catherine Andrews pose for a photograph
She claims to have sent Ms Vaghela a message to ask if she’s okay and offer her support.
Treasurer Tim Pallas echoed the sentiment and said the party will do what it can to help Ms Vaghela.
‘It is worrying for me that she said that and it goes to the state of mind,’ he said.
‘I can assure her should she need assistance from the government in any way, to help with her state of mind, we will support her all the way.’
