The former MIC vice president is likely to take on incumbent deputy president Dr S Subramaniam at the polls in November
PETALING JAYA: A peace deal brokered by Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak in August to ensure no contest for the MIC top two positions is hanging by a thread.
Speculation is that former vice president S Sothinathan is preparing to take on incumbent party number two Dr S Subramaniam, who is also Health Minister, at the party polls in November.
If this materialises, then the peace deal brokered by Najib, who is also Barisan Nasional chief, would be shattered and result in a free for all in the largest Indian based party in the country.
The essence of the deal was to ensure the MIC top two positions remain unchallenged. Party chief G Palanivel won the presidency uncontested at the presidential election nominations in September.
But this only satisfied half of the deal. The other half is ensuring Dr Subramaniam has a clear path in retaining the deputy president’s post.
Sources claim that Palanivel would most likely ‘get someone’ to fight Dr Subramaniam, and that “someone” could be Sothinathan.
Speaking to FMT, a central working committee source claimed that Palanivel has made a “U-turn” on the deal since he now holds the trump card.
Makkal Osai, a Tamil daily rumoured to be close to Palanivel, predicted Sothinathan would take on Subramaniam at the polls to pick a deputy president, three vice presidents and 23 CWC members.
The CWC member said if this happens, then Palanivel would have to bear the blame for dishonouring Najib’s peace plan, put in place to ensure the party stayed united and no power struggle ensued.
“People may ask who is Najib and why should we listen to him? But, do not forget Palanivel’s is the one who dragged Najib into the fray,” he said.
In August, Najib averted a contest for the MIC presidency by brokering the deal. Prior to that Dr Subramaniam was expected to take on Palanivel for the top post.
The source claimed Palanivel ‘forced’ Najib to broker the deal, witnessed by two vice-presidents M Saravanan and SK Devamany, to ensure he had a free passage in keeping the top post.
Strategic move to check Subra
Dr Subramaniam, say sources, only agreed to the deal after Palanivel gave his assurance that he would not ‘push anyone’ to contest against the Health Minister.
In return, Palanivel must vacate his post to pave a way for Dr Subramaniam to become the next party chief,n March 2016.
Sothinathan almost ‘vanished’ from the party after he was defeated by Palanivel in his attempt for the deputy presidency in 2009.
He made a comeback this year, after Palanivel appointed him as CWC member on July 17, replacing newly-elected Kepong division chairman S Vell Paari, son of former president S Samy Vellu.
Although Palanivel has claimed that he had no political agenda in appointing Sothinathan to the CWC, observers believe it was a strategic move to check Dr Subramaniam.
“Sothinathan will not dare challenge Dr Subramaniam without the knowledge or blessings from Palanivel,” said a source.
Although the rumour mill is spewing speculation after speculation, the battle for top positions in party, except the president, looks to be heating up.
The noble idea that a no-contest for the top two positions will not split the party seems to be far from the truth.
Even without a contest for the party’s highest two posts, the MIC seems to be heading for a larger split with more than 10 candidates going for the three vice president positions.
This is more so with Palanivel and Dr Subramaniam preferring their own candidates for veep positions.
“Both camps will come out with a list of preferred candidates. They might not announce it in public but they will definitely resort to a whispering campaign method. This will eventually result in a split MIC.
“To avoid all this, Najib should have just stayed out of MIC and let members decide on who they want as president.
“This kind of brokering resulted in BN component parties losing support in the past but they still have not learnt their lesson,” a political observer summed it up.
PETALING JAYA: A peace deal brokered by Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak in August to ensure no contest for the MIC top two positions is hanging by a thread.Speculation is that former vice president S Sothinathan is preparing to take on incumbent party number two Dr S Subramaniam, who is also Health Minister, at the party polls in November.
If this materialises, then the peace deal brokered by Najib, who is also Barisan Nasional chief, would be shattered and result in a free for all in the largest Indian based party in the country.
The essence of the deal was to ensure the MIC top two positions remain unchallenged. Party chief G Palanivel won the presidency uncontested at the presidential election nominations in September.
But this only satisfied half of the deal. The other half is ensuring Dr Subramaniam has a clear path in retaining the deputy president’s post.
Sources claim that Palanivel would most likely ‘get someone’ to fight Dr Subramaniam, and that “someone” could be Sothinathan.
Speaking to FMT, a central working committee source claimed that Palanivel has made a “U-turn” on the deal since he now holds the trump card.
Makkal Osai, a Tamil daily rumoured to be close to Palanivel, predicted Sothinathan would take on Subramaniam at the polls to pick a deputy president, three vice presidents and 23 CWC members.
The CWC member said if this happens, then Palanivel would have to bear the blame for dishonouring Najib’s peace plan, put in place to ensure the party stayed united and no power struggle ensued.
“People may ask who is Najib and why should we listen to him? But, do not forget Palanivel’s is the one who dragged Najib into the fray,” he said.
In August, Najib averted a contest for the MIC presidency by brokering the deal. Prior to that Dr Subramaniam was expected to take on Palanivel for the top post.
The source claimed Palanivel ‘forced’ Najib to broker the deal, witnessed by two vice-presidents M Saravanan and SK Devamany, to ensure he had a free passage in keeping the top post.
Strategic move to check Subra
Dr Subramaniam, say sources, only agreed to the deal after Palanivel gave his assurance that he would not ‘push anyone’ to contest against the Health Minister.
In return, Palanivel must vacate his post to pave a way for Dr Subramaniam to become the next party chief,n March 2016.
Sothinathan almost ‘vanished’ from the party after he was defeated by Palanivel in his attempt for the deputy presidency in 2009.
He made a comeback this year, after Palanivel appointed him as CWC member on July 17, replacing newly-elected Kepong division chairman S Vell Paari, son of former president S Samy Vellu.
Although Palanivel has claimed that he had no political agenda in appointing Sothinathan to the CWC, observers believe it was a strategic move to check Dr Subramaniam.
“Sothinathan will not dare challenge Dr Subramaniam without the knowledge or blessings from Palanivel,” said a source.
Although the rumour mill is spewing speculation after speculation, the battle for top positions in party, except the president, looks to be heating up.
The noble idea that a no-contest for the top two positions will not split the party seems to be far from the truth.
Even without a contest for the party’s highest two posts, the MIC seems to be heading for a larger split with more than 10 candidates going for the three vice president positions.
This is more so with Palanivel and Dr Subramaniam preferring their own candidates for veep positions.
“Both camps will come out with a list of preferred candidates. They might not announce it in public but they will definitely resort to a whispering campaign method. This will eventually result in a split MIC.
“To avoid all this, Najib should have just stayed out of MIC and let members decide on who they want as president.
“This kind of brokering resulted in BN component parties losing support in the past but they still have not learnt their lesson,” a political observer summed it up.
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