Palani suggests no contest, to remain till 2016

The MIC president also refutes reports that a compromise was reached between him and his deputy.

FMT ALERT

KUALA LUMPUR: MIC president G Palanivel today declared that he would continue to helm the party until March 2016, suggesting that there would not be a contest for the top post in the coming party presidential election.

He however refuted reports that a compromise was reached between him and his deputy Dr S Subramaniam to avert such a contest next month.

He said MIC’s top two positions — president and deputy president — would not face “strong challengers”, and hinted that there would be no contest for these two posts.

“I believe that there are no strong challengers for president and deputy president posts,” he said.

However, he added there would be a possible contest for vice president and central working committee positions.

The press conference today at the MIC HQ was also attended by former MIC supremo S Samy vellu, Dr Subramaniam, vice presidents M Saravanan and SK Devamany.

The nomination for the MIC presidential election is slated for Sept 1, while polling will take place on Sept 22, if there is a contest.

Subramaniam was tipped to take on Palanivel in the election. He had even started meeting branch leaders nationwide and had received warm response from the grassroots.

The MIC president is picked by the party’s 4,000-odd branch chairmen.

However, sources had said that a compromise was reached between the two leaders earlier this week after an intervention by BN chairman and Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak.

The elections for other national posts — deputy president, three vice presidents and 23 central working committee members — would be up for contest in November. Leaders for these positions would be picked by some 1,500 divisional delegates.

MORE TO FOLLOW