MIC caught in a tangle over election poser

(The Sun Daily) – “Fresh” elections or “new” elections – that’s the poser the MIC is currently caught in and it’s not just about terminology, there are also plenty of strategic considerations.

Datuk G. Palanivel, who has been “removed” from office by his deputy Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam, wants a fresh election for the MIC in which all leaders will face the members and whoever gets a fresh three-year mandate, will get to run the MIC.

Under his proposals, elections would start in August and a “fresh” team will be in place by December and the conflict in MIC will be over.

Dr Subramaniam and his faction, on the other hand, want a “new” election to replace the Dec 2013 party elections that were declared null and void by the Registrar of Societies (RoS) on Feb 6 because of irregularities.

Under his proposal there will be one “replacement” election this year, and another “normal” election next year for the 2016-2019 terms.

This is the only legal way, he said at a special congress of his faction held on Sunday.

“This has been ordered by the RoS and we are only following it. You can’t ignore legality, everything must be according to law,” he said.

He is right off-course, said a senior lawyer who declined to be named.

How do you account for the “lost” year if “fresh” elections are held now and fresh elections are only due in mid-2016, he posed a question.

Palanivel says he has discussed with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Adbul Razak to have “fresh” elections from August.

Dr Subramaniam however has fixed from July for a “new” or replacement election and will proceeded with it come what may.

This then is the MIC conundrum – “fresh” or “new” elections for the party.

Dr Subramaniam hopes to win the replacement elections with the near 50% of the party that he controls and then ride into next year’s normal election for a new three-year mandate.

Palanivel hopes to secure his fresh three-year mandate this year with the 50% of the party that he controls.

There are also other strategic considerations between both “fresh” election and “new” elections.

“If a replacement election is held, Dr Subra can blame the mess that afflicts the MIC on Palanivel and his key lieutenants like secretary general Datuk S. Sothinathan and Johore chief Tan Sri S. Balakrishnan,” said a party insider.

“Because of cheating at the 2013 elections the RoS declared the election invalid,” he said adding Palanivel has to accept responsibility for this.

“But if everybody agrees to fresh election then nobody is blamed for the current mess,’’ said a former vice-president.

“The problem is whether the RoS will agree to this scheme, ignore the ‘lost year’ and withdraw all their letters that had nullified the 2013 elections,” he said.

It is a long shot but then politics is the art of the possible.

For Najib, who oversees peace and stability in the Barisan Nasional as its chairman, the MIC conundrum is proving to be a massive headache.

He can’t have the MIC, the Barisan Nasional’s biggest Indian-based party, at each other throats for long.

Indian voters significantly make up about 15% to 35% of voters in about 30 parliamentary constituencies in the West Coast and they were lost to Pakatan Rakyat or won narrowly by Barisan Nasional .

In the 2008 general election nearly 80% of Indians voted opposition because of anger with temples demolition and influences by the Hindraf struggle.

But in the 2013 general election Indians divided their loyalty equally for Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat.

Najib aims to improve on this record but he needs to have a peaceful and united party, not a feuding party with rival leaders going for each other’s jugular.