KUALA LUMPUR: Long-serving MIC president S Samy Vellu's refusal to accept the role of party adviser after his planned retirement in January could lead to a free-for-all in the party.Party sources say Samy Vellu's open declaration yesterday that he would neither interfere in the running of the 63-year-old MIC nor assume the post of party adviser, would set the stage for the scramble for positions in the party.A party source told FMT that it was only natural that leaders start "their political game" to fill up positions that would eventually fall vacant after Samy Vellu's retirement.
"This is natural. Samy Vellu has held on to the post for such a long time... 30 years. Once he goes, then the deputy president would become the acting president. This would lead to a vacancy in the deputy president's post."One of the three vice-presidents would have to move up and be made acting deputy president. If this is not done, then the MIC would not have a deputy president until 2013, when the party would hold its election," said the source who declined to be identified.
Samy Vellu, who became MIC acting president in 1979 following the demise of V Manikavasagam, last week announced that he would step down in January next year. He also said party deputy president G Palanivel would take over the 630,000 member-MIC in the capacity of acting president.The party is scheduled to hold its presidential election in March 2012 and this would give Palanivel about 14 months to solidify his position.However, a few days after Samy Vellu's announcement, MIC vice-president S Subramaniam told reporters that Samy Vellu must assume the advisory role to guide leaders in running the party.Subramaniam, who is Human Resources Minister, a day later, went a step forward in suggesting that MIC be given two ministerial positions as opposed to a single minister's post it currently enjoys.
Subra won't take it lying down
Observers say this statement only showed that Subramaniam was not willing to give way for Palanivel to take up the lone ministerial position available for the party.Palanivel, who lost the Hulu Selangor parliamentary seat at the 2008 general election, was appointed senator mid-this year. He has since been appointed Plantation Industries and Commodities Deputy Minister.If the status quo were to remain, then MIC would have an acting president who is deputy minister, while the vice-president would be a minister. This would certainly upset supporters of both leaders.
"While Palanivel's supporters would want their man to be made minister by virtue of being acting president, Subramaniam's people would want their man to be to be made acting president by virtue of being a full minister," said an MIC leader, who declined to be named.While this tussle is taking shape, it must be noted that Samy Vellu, the outgoing MIC chief, commands support of at least 700 votes or more than half of MIC divisional delegates, who would cast their ballots to pick national leaders from deputy president downwards.
The MIC president is not picked by MIC divisional delegates but by more than the 3,200 branch chairmen. It is still unknown how many branch chairmen are under Samy Vellu's command, but judging from his grip at divisional level, he is expected to have support of more than half of the branch chairmen.
Samy Vellu still the kingmaker
"The presidential election would be held before the divisional election. This means all the present divisional leaders, who are mostly Samy Vellu's diehard supporters, would still be in power to pick the new president.
"That means although Samy Vellu has declined the advisory role, he would still play kingmaker as divisional delegates who are his supporters would listen to him. Although Samy Vellu is leaving, he would still hold the trump card as his hardcore supporters would be still running the party at the grassroots level.""So whoever wants to become president will have to be in Samy Vellu's good books and hope that he would throw his support for the individual in the presidential tussle," a party source said.While Palanivel and Subramaniam seem to be the only horses at the starting line so far, the emergence of another strong candidate for the party's top post must not be discounted.
Threat of Subramaniam comeback looms
Former deputy minister and ex-MIC deputy president S Subramaniam, a long time political rival of Samy Vellu, is looming in the background. Subramaniam contested against Samy Vellu for the presidency in 1990 but lost with a slim majority.Since then he has been holding on to the position of deputy president until Palanivel defeated him, with the assistance of Samy Vellu, at the 2006 party polls. Palanivel defended the party number two post in 2009, again defeating Subramaniam.
Although he was defeated twice in his effort to wrestle back the deputy presidency, it is a well known fact that Subramaniam commands at least 400 to 450 divisional delegates votes, which would be translated into a bigger number of ballots from branch members who would vote to pick the president in 2012."Yes, we cannot discount him from joining the presidential race in 2012. He is still a powerhouse. But if that happens, I do not think Samy Vellu will stay out. He would definitely back either Palanivel or Dr Subramaniam. If you go by the caste-based politics practised so far in the MIC, Samy Vellu would most likely endorse Dr Subramaniam who is of the same caste.
"In this scenario, Palanivel would just be an interim party chief until the presidential election. Dr Subramaniam would mostly likely take on Palanivel in 2012 and when and if, this happens, Samy Vellu would hold the trump card as whoever he backs will win."So, Samy Vellu's declaration that he would not interfere in the running of the party is only to applease the Indian community but in reality, although he would relinquish the top post and not take up the advisory role, he would still be in control," said an MIC leader.
Source : http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/fmt-english/politics/barisan-nasional/11158-samy-declines-advisory-role-free-for-all-in-the-offing
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