Updated 3.26pm with PN reaction below.
VCA chairman Jason Micallef has been appointed to a new role within the Labour Party, two days after he dropped out of the race for deputy leader of party affairs.
In a brief statement on Tuesday, the PL said Micallef has been appointed as the administration’s 'special delegate on the implementation of the electoral manifesto' and that he will report directly to the party's central administration.
Minister Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi already holds the portfolio of 'Implementation of the Electoral Programme' as part of his ministerial duties.
It is not known how the two roles will overlap.
This comes a day ahead of the party convenes an extraordinary general conference, in which it is expected to discuss changes to the statute that will allow members of the parliamentary group to hold the deputy leader role.
Although several people in Labour's orbit had expressed interest in the role, Micallef had previously been the only person to publically declare his intention to throw his hat into the ring.
However, the move caused division within the party.
After Prime Minister Robert Abela encouraged party delegates not to "turn back the clock" with their votes, support suddenly coalesced around Alex Agius Saliba.
The party's statute presently prohibits Agius Saliba, a sitting MEP, from contesting for the role. However, this hasn't stopped him from teasing his interest, saying on Tuesday that he would support efforts to change the statute, in a social media post that included a picture of himself with the prime minister's arm slung over his shoulder.
It appears that things are likely to go his way, as the party is set to "discuss" the required changes that would allow him to hold both the deputy leader role and remain an MEP.
However, the manoeuvring to ease the way for Agius Saliba has also failed to go down well with all, with former MEP Josianne Micallef coming out against the move.
The elections for deputy leaders and other appointments in the Labour administration will take place between 13 and 15 September.
Nominations for all positions will open on August 23 and remain open until August 25.
The Nationalist Party in a statement said Abela was so taken up with the Labour Party's internal problems, that he could not focus on the country's needs.
In this case, in a supposed effort to solve a crisis, he had appointed Micallef to a position above the ministers. In so doing, he was shifting the Labour Party's problems to the government, to the detriment of the people, the PN said.