Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando and Franco Debono seem to be trading places when it comes to hurting their own political party.

In the last two months, first it was Dr Debono who downed one of his own colleagues, former Home Affairs Minister Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici, who was forced to resign after Dr Debono chose to vote with the Opposition. Then it was Dr Pullicino Orlando whose vote with Labour kicked out Richard Cachia Caruana from the post of European Union Ambassador.

But the pattern has been ongoing throughout the current legislature. It seems that the two MPs are doing their best to eclipse each other when it comes to taking the limelight in the local political scenario.

With them, we might add another MP, former Transport Minister Jesmond Mugliett, who has so far been unable to find enough courage to vote against his party. But he did abstain in the Richard Cachia Caruana motion.

Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando and Franco Debono have something else in common – they have both played the part of victims and continue to do so in light of the latest developments. Although we tend to think that their claims of being victims are highly exaggerated, we are not surprised that they have come under some kind of fire from their own ranks. What do they expect? That they are showered with praise for embarrassing their party?

The two renegade MPs act surprised when top officials of the Nationalist Party, including Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi, say that they have to face the consequences of their actions. Again, what do they expect? That they are raised shoulder-high at the entrance of Dar Centrali and named as favourites to take over the leadership?

Do they still believe that the PN and its supporters will forgive and forget so easily? They should know that they are still considered as Nationalist MPs only because the party enjoys a one-seat majority in Parliament – which is, after all, what pushed them to behave in the way they did throughout these last four years in the first place.

The matter will come to a head on Thursday, when the Nationalist Party’s Executive meets to discuss internal issues that have dogged the PN in recent months. On the one hand, Franco Debono is claiming that he should not have been condemned by the Executive and that, instead, he expected gratitude. JPO has gone one step further and called on the Executive to expel Mr Cachia Caruana from the party, claiming that he has proof that Mr Cachia Caruana colluded with the Labour Party. But then he says he needs time to be able to substantiate his claims.

With Parliament soon rising for the summer recess, the PN will get some respite and should use this time to clean up its stables before embarking on its election campaign.