MIC plans last-ditch pitch for Palanivel

By Baradan Kuppusamy - The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, April 14 — The MIC has called for an emergency meeting of its central working committee (CWC) tonight, as its tussle with Umno over the choice of candidate for the Hulu Selangor by-election continues.
Just a day before Barisan Nasional (BN) is supposed to announce its candidate, it is still unclear if MIC and its president, Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu’s choice — Datuk G. Palanivel — or the Umno-backed V. Mugilan, the Hulu Selangor MIC division Youth leader, will be named.
Samy Vellu (right) has been waiting to meet Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin all day to press his case for Palanivel, as discontent continues to grow in the ranks of party members over what they see as Umno’s bullying tactics.
Despite several meetings between Samy Vellu and Umno leaders over the week, no agreement has been struck.
Telephone calls and text messages started going out about at 5pm today, to summon the 37 CWC members for tonight’s meeting.
Several CWC members told The Malaysian Insider they had mixed feelings about the meeting and its outcome.
“We have always been close to Umno… if Umno really wants to put its candidate over the MIC’s choice, I am really surprised,” one CWC member said.
“This matter should not have come to this level. I am really surprised,” another member said.
Of the 37 CWC members, only two are aligned with Samy Vellu’s former deputy, Datuk S. Subramaniam, while one is considered neutral.
The rest are all strong supporters of the MIC president.
This meeting, a CWC member said, would also consider issuing a strong statement against interference in MIC matters and reaffirm the party’s decision to endorse Palanivel as its sole candidate for the by-election.