Ottawa — For nearly a year, Liberal MPs supporting Paul Martin's leadership bid have been meeting privately, operating as a parallel caucus to plot strategy and vent their frustration at Jean Chrétien's leadership.

At this week's meeting, about 80 MPs, several senators, and cabinet ministers including Health Minister Anne McLellan and Immigration Minister Denis Coderre gathered in a private room at a restaurant in Ottawa's Chinatown for dinner with Mr. Martin and several of his senior staff, including his Ontario campaign organizer, Karl Littler.

Nearly as many Liberals attended that private dinner as showed up for national caucus yesterday morning, a sign how irrelevant caucus has become and an indication of the growing frustration among back-bench Liberal MPs as the Prime Minister approaches his retirement next February.

"A lot of people think it's a waste of time," one Liberal MP said yesterday of the weekly national caucus meetings. "[Going to] caucus is like spitting in the wind."

A week ago, Mr. Martin's senior strategist, David Herle, presented polling data to the MPs at their private meeting. Insiders say Mr. Herle showed two sets of numbers: results of polling among the general population and among Liberals.

"He gave an overview of polling that has been done both by the Martin group and by others, and interpretations of it," one MP said.

According to that MP, Mr. Herle's analysis showed Mr. Martin well ahead of his competitors, Heritage Minister Sheila Copps and Deputy Prime Minister John Manley, with about 80 per cent of Liberals supporting him.

This week, the Tuesday night caucus was more of a celebration than a business meeting, held as the Prime Minister is travelling in Europe.

Mr. Martin spent about two hours at the dinner, visiting each table and speaking with all the MPs. However, some of the discussion focused on the controversial political financing bill that the Prime Minister has vowed to push through the Commons.

"Everybody had a good feeling," one MP said of the dinner. "It was like good days are coming ahead."

Insiders say that Mr. Coderre, a staunch Chrétienite who recently declared his support for Mr. Martin, was in such a good mood at Tuesday night's dinner that he was blowing kisses to everyone.

These informal caucuses started last fall when MPs returned to Ottawa after the summer break. They were initially a reaction to Mr. Martin's controversial departure from the cabinet. MPs were invited by word of mouth.

Previously, those who supported Mr. Martin had been afraid to meet because of the outcry provoked by reports of a private meeting of Martin MPs at a Toronto airport hotel on the eve of the 2000 Liberal policy convention.

At the time, Chrétien supporters charged the Martinites with attempting to organize a coup.

"Members were scared to meet," one MP said. "Members were scared of punishment."

The MP said the parallel caucus was also meant to show Mr. Martin that he has support and MPs are not afraid to "show Paul we like him."

"Paul is human, too; he needs to see his caucus gravitate to him," the MP said.

The first meeting attended by Mr. Martin was held in Mississauga MP Albina Guarnieri's office. Toronto MP Joe Volpe held the second one, and various other MPs have taken up the duties as host, among them Quebec MP Jacques Saada and Scarborough MP Jim Karygiannis, whose West Block office is now the usual venue for the Tuesday night caucus because it is big enough to accommodate everyone.

Usually about 40 MPs and some ministers attend. Revenue Minister Elinor Caplan was at a meeting several weeks ago, when the discussion focused again on the political financing legislation.

"It's an alternate caucus," said another MP. "People compare notes. They bitch; they complain."

The MP said there is no point in attending national caucus because there is no real debate. "You can't present another side to any government position. You get hollered down or you get dismissed. They [the Chrétienites] have many devices to put you on the outside."

At the alternative caucus, MPs have debated everything from legislation dealing with cruelty to animals to gun-control issues.

"The format is friendly, not adversarial," said an MP. "What is wrong with people agreeing to disagree?"