The Alliance was not interested in joining the Grand Coalition Initiative Group, he said on 30 August, because as a multi-racial party, it would not join a coalition that was not committed to multiracial politics. The Grand Coalition is a grouping of five indigenous Fijian-dominated parties, including the ruling Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua (SDL), formed in August 2005, with a view to perpetuating indigenous predominance in the political sphere. On 29 November, Ganilau said that the party would talk to all other parties, including the ruling (SDL), before making a final decision on any electoral pact. In the meantime, they would keep their options open, he said. He reiterated on 30 January 2006 that the party was continuing to keep its coalition options open. The Fiji Times revealed on 18 February 2006 that the NAPF would be entering into coalition talks with the Fiji Labour Party the following week. The Fiji Sun reported the following day that a "merger" of the two parties was being considered. It was not immediately clear whether that meant a merger in the normally understood sense of the two parties becoming one, or rather that a formal coalition agreement would be brokered; the Fijian media had, on occasion, referred to coalition deals as "mergers." On 23 February, however, Ganilau told a rally in Cautata Village in Tailevu Province that the party had decided, at least for the time being, to contest the election on its own. Maintaining its independence now would boost its bargaining power with other parties later, Fiji Village quoted him as saying. Ganilau announced on 27 February, however, that he would be holding discussions with Chaudhry that week. Leadership of any coalition formed would be an issue, he said; many indigenous Fijians were wary about Chaudhry's leadership. He clarified, however, that this was the fault of unscrupulous politicians who had sown distrust of non-indigenous leaders like Chaudhry. On 13 March, Ganilau and FLP Parliamentarian Krishna Datt both denied reports that their respective parties had agreed on Cabinet allocations in a coalition government. A secret agreement had allegedly provided for Ganilau to become Prime Minister, Chaudhry Minister for Finance, and FLP Deputy Leader Poseci Bune Foreign Minister. Discussions were ongoing, they said, and no agreement had been made. Election manifesto Ganilau said on 30 August 2005 that in preparing the party manifesto, party officials had been looking at 25 areas of development. They