In a surprise announcement on 20 January 2006, the party announced that it was dropping its demand for the repatriation of Indo-Fijians to India. Citizens of Indian descent would now be welcome to join the party, said party President Saula Telawa, and to contest the forthcoming election under its banner - provided that they were Christians. Aspiring candidates would need to submit references from a Fijian chief and their local pastor, to prove that they had been born-again Christians for a minimum period of three years, Telawa told the Fiji Sun.