Disunity in Palani’s unity plan for MIC

Foot soldiers from opposing camps are sharpening their knives to remain relevant in MIC.

PETALING JAYA: A proxy fight between MIC’s top two leaders is simmering on the ground with party loyalists aligned to both the men trading barbs on regular basis.

Interestingly the two leaders – MIC president G Palanivel and his deputy Dr S Subramaniam – have stayed above the fray by retaining silence for now.

The situation however is very different between their followers. The most recent – and the most serious – bone of contention is Palanivel’s decision to bring back sacked members into the party. He has also reinstated some of the returning members to their old positions in the party.

In his defence, Palanivel’s camp is saying that the president had the support of the central working committee (CWC) to bring back these sacked members, most of whom had been kicked out for criticising Palanivel’s predecessor S Samy Vellu.

Palanivel’s critics say that the move to bring back these sacked members does not have the support of the party members, and more damagingly, the decision to reinstate them to their old positions is against the party constitution.

They also say these sacked members are reinstated so that they can be used as a tool by Palanivel to keep a check on Subramaniam from posing a challenge to the top post.

“That is a no-brainer argument,” said CWC member Madhu Marimuthu, a key ally of Palanivel.

“He has given amnesty to these sacked members so that their return can unite the party and the community.

“He has set his sights on revamping the party to prepare it for the next general election,” he told FMT, adding that the move was not politically motivated to restrain Subramaniam.

Madhu added that Palanivel has also invited other Indian based parties like MIUP and IPF to work with MIC for the sake of Indian unity.

CWC members not puppets

He added that the president had the support of all party leaders, including Subramaniam and the CWC members, in his vision to make MIC strong again.

“The CWC members are not mere puppets who follow the president’s instructions. And what is wrong in supporting the president’s call for unity in the party and among the community?” he asked.

Madhu’s question was directed at Bagan MIC division chief Henry Benedict Aaasirvatham who had said that Palanivel’s move to reunite the different factions in the party was part of a plan to “kill off” his deputy Subramaniam.

Aaasirvatham said the readmission and reinstatement of sacked leaders were done in the name of unity to mislead the Indian community about the real agenda.

“Palanivel knows he is not safe with Subramaniam running around, so he will even roll out the red carpet for the former number two, S Subramaniam to kill Dr Subramaniam,” he said yesterday.

Responding to this, Madhu said it was time all party grassroots leaders got behind the leadership to solidify the support from the Indian community for MIC.

He added that Palanivel also had the interest of grassroots leaders, which he showed by introducing insurance scheme to all committee members at branch levels as opposed to only branch chairmen previously.

“Aaasirvatham better not place his self interest above the party interest,” added Madhu.

Working against the party’s interest

The Bagan division leader also came under attack from KP Samy, a CWC member who was reinstated under Palanivel’s amnesty plan.

“Looks like Aaasirvatham has a personal agenda to settle. Why is he not keen on the unity plan? Is he suggesting that people like me who had been allowed back to the party will now work with Palanivel to kill off Dr Subramaniam?” he asked today.

“I don’t want to be involved in this sort of petty argument with leaders like Aaasirvatham and others who had questioned our return to the party,” he added.

He said that he will make his stand clear at the next CWC meeting – the first which will be held following his reinstatement into the party.

“We have plans for the party. We want MIC to be strong. It looks like those who question everything that the president does is working against achieving that,” said Samy.

This remark may not sit well with many Palanivel critics, including former president Samy Vellu who is said to be unhappy with his successor’s style of leadership and is believed to be mulling over plans to support Dr Subramaniam in the next presidential election.

Palanivel’s decision to postpone all party polls until after the general election has also caused some concern in the party as the party constitution does not allow for the postponement of presidental election. Elections for all other posts are allowed under the party rules.

Palanivel is also said to have a less-than-cordial relationship with his Youth leader T Mohan, whose close aide has referred the president’s decision to bring back and reinstate the sacked leaders to the Registrar of Societies for breaching party rules.

Interestingly Samy Vellu’s son Vell Paari, who is now MIC’s information chief, is in Palanivel’s camp.