Australia PM Gillard calls leadership ballot
CANBERRA. March 21. KAZINFORM Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard has called a leadership ballot, in a bid to resolve who should lead the Labor party into September's election.
A number of MPs want Kevin Rudd to take on the leadership.
Ms Gillard ousted Mr Rudd, then prime minister, in a 2010 ballot.
Opinion polls, however, show he is far more popular with the public than Ms Gillard, who looks set to lose the forthcoming election to the Liberal Party's Tony Abbott.
There has been no word yet from Mr Rudd on his intentions, BBC informed.
Ms Gillard's move came after a senior Labor MP called on her to act, saying the leadership issue had to be resolved once and for all because it was "killing" the party.
"I have determined that there will be a ballot for the leadership at 16:30 (05:30 GMT) today. In the meantime, take your best shot," she told parliament.
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