Where is Anwar going with this play?

(The Sun Daily) - What is de facto Pakatan Rakyat leader, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s, game plan in contesting the Kajang state seat?

Is it to quell the storm of discontent within a Selangor Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) wracked and debilitated by factionalism evidenced in the internecine political battle between Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid and PKR deputy president Azmin Ali?

Khalid, an astute but somewhat parsimonious state leader, has had his hands tied by Azmin and his cohorts who have given him a hard time since he took up the post in 2008.

Things came to a boil when Khalid was chosen to lead the state administration once again at the expense of Azmin who many thought could be mentri besar given his power base in Selangor.

Since then, Khalid has been under siege by Azmin and his group who many say have tried to stymie the former’s efforts to continue his programme of economic growth which has come under fire over his alleged tight-fistedness.

Or is the 67-year-old former deputy prime minister making another bid for a position of power, albeit in a smaller theatre of influence, after his climb in Umno (and the nation) came to an abrupt halt following intervention by Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad?

Interestingly enough, Anwar has rubbished talk that he will be the next mentri besar upon winning the seat, indicating that he will be in the most unlikely position of backbencher in the state assembly.

Many are also surprised that DAP secretary-general and Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng was not apprised about the resignation of Kajang state assemblyman Lee Chin Cheh and was in no position to comment on the matter.

This is difficult to believe given that the DAP is the lynchpin in PR with 38 MPs, the largest opposition party in Parliament, with 15 state seats in Selangor giving it the power to call the shots in the state.

All this calls to question PR’s promises before the last two general elections that its complexion would be dissimilar to that of the BN in that there would be no pandering to the interests of specific individuals.

It was also assumed that this would translate into transparency in politics without cliques or factions within PR.

But this has not proven true with the mudslinging in Selangor and open rivalry between Penang Deputy Chief Minister II Dr P. Ramasamy and DAP chairman Karpal Singh.

Azmin is making a statement today that hopefully will throw some light on the mystery surrounding Anwar’s, and by extension, PR’s decision to field him in the forthcoming by-election.

The people of Selangor, and the nation, are in the dark about where this intrigue is going.