The MIC president also refutes reports that a compromise was reached between him and his deputy.
UPDATED
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.
This also suggests that an understanding has been reached for his deputy, Dr S Subramaniam, to replace him at the helm at the next party polls in 2016, and lead the party for the next general election, due by 2018.
Palanivel however refuted reports that a compromise was reached between him and Dr S Subramaniam to avert 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. It remains to be seen if there would be any other MIC leaders who would be able to overcome the strict party nomination system to pose a challenge for the two two posts.
Palanivel also revealed that 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.
Meeting with Najib
Palanivel also said that even if a contender had enough nominations to qualify him to contest the presidency, it would be an uphill task to wrest the post from the incumbent.
“The incumbent president always has the edge in a presidential election,” he said. “Even when Samy Vellu faced a challenge in 1989, he received 13,000 votes against his former deputy, S Subramaniam, who obtained only 7,000 votes.
“Even if someone challenges Dr Subramaniam in 2016, I am sure Dr Subramaniam will win.”
Palanivel confirmed that he met Najib recently to talk about party matters, especially the upcoming MIC polls.
“The Prime Minister advised us to avert a contest and we have decided to abide by his request,” he said, but refused to give more details of what transpired at the meeting.
Palanivel predicted that the vice presidential race would be a crowded one, hinting that the two current veeps—Saravanan and Devamany—would defend their respective positions.
Apart from the incumbents, he said, other contenders for the three vice presidential posts could include Deputy Education Minister P Kamalanathan, former youth chief SA Vickneswaran and former vice president S Sothinathan.
He also said 187 candidates would vie for the 23 CWC positions available.
“Everyday, I receive SMSes from party members wanting to contest the CWC post,” he added.
Meanwhile, Dr Subramaniam, who is also Health Minister, said the decision not to fight for the top post was taken with party welfare in mind.
“I hope this decision will make MIC stronger,” he said, adding that party members should put aside their personal differences and work for the betterment of the party.
UPDATED
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.This also suggests that an understanding has been reached for his deputy, Dr S Subramaniam, to replace him at the helm at the next party polls in 2016, and lead the party for the next general election, due by 2018.
Palanivel however refuted reports that a compromise was reached between him and Dr S Subramaniam to avert 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. It remains to be seen if there would be any other MIC leaders who would be able to overcome the strict party nomination system to pose a challenge for the two two posts.
Palanivel also revealed that 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.
Meeting with Najib
Palanivel also said that even if a contender had enough nominations to qualify him to contest the presidency, it would be an uphill task to wrest the post from the incumbent.
“The incumbent president always has the edge in a presidential election,” he said. “Even when Samy Vellu faced a challenge in 1989, he received 13,000 votes against his former deputy, S Subramaniam, who obtained only 7,000 votes.
“Even if someone challenges Dr Subramaniam in 2016, I am sure Dr Subramaniam will win.”
Palanivel confirmed that he met Najib recently to talk about party matters, especially the upcoming MIC polls.
“The Prime Minister advised us to avert a contest and we have decided to abide by his request,” he said, but refused to give more details of what transpired at the meeting.
Palanivel predicted that the vice presidential race would be a crowded one, hinting that the two current veeps—Saravanan and Devamany—would defend their respective positions.
Apart from the incumbents, he said, other contenders for the three vice presidential posts could include Deputy Education Minister P Kamalanathan, former youth chief SA Vickneswaran and former vice president S Sothinathan.
He also said 187 candidates would vie for the 23 CWC positions available.
“Everyday, I receive SMSes from party members wanting to contest the CWC post,” he added.
Meanwhile, Dr Subramaniam, who is also Health Minister, said the decision not to fight for the top post was taken with party welfare in mind.
“I hope this decision will make MIC stronger,” he said, adding that party members should put aside their personal differences and work for the betterment of the party.
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