Premier Greg Selinger says he is backed by grassroots NDPers

Premier Greg Selinger said he has strong support from grassroots NDPers, even though some cabinet members have resigned and executive party members have called on him to step down.

Selinger, speaking for the first time since saying he welcomes a leadership vote at the annual party convention in March, said he is steadfast about his role as leader because core party members want him to keep going.

"Well, I've just listened to the grassroots [and] they tell me that they want me to continue serving and they say you've got a mandate from us, you've got a mandate from the people of Manitoba, and the best way to put that to the test is to make yourself available at a convention and if anybody wants to run against you, they have the right," he said.

• NDP brass to hold emergency meeting after 'misunderstanding' with Selinger
• Manitoba Premier Greg Selinger will face party leadership vote in March

An emergency meeting is set to take place this weekend by the party executive to decide exactly what will happen at the convention.

Last weekend, the party brass met with Selinger to talk about the internal turmoil that has erupted in the past couple of weeks.

Following that meeting, Selinger told the Winnipeg Free Press others could challenge him for leadership at the convention. That caught some party executives off guard.

Party president Ellen Olfert told CBC News this week that was not what they had agreed to. 

On Wednesday, Selinger told CBC Information Radio host Marcy Markusa that he stands by that decision.

He said it's standard practice at every NDP convention to vote on the leader and it's the best way to end the dissension in the party.

There should be no confusion for the party about what he is asking for, he added.

"It's gone on for many years. We've gone through many of these," Selinger said.

"I've presented myself before to stand for election at the annual convention and previous leaders have done the same thing. Previous leaders have been challenged there and have won the vote and carried on governing, so it allows us to govern."

A convention allows for dissension to be discussed and resolved because it's a place "where people can be delegates, there's proper rules of order and everybody gets to listen to each other and respond to each other," he said.