Palanivel faces five-way tussle in Cameron Highlands

An intense battle is looming for the Cameron Highlands parliamentary seat where Barisan Nasional's (BN) Datuk Seri G. Palanivel is locked in a five-cornered fight with DAP, Berjasa and two independent candidates at the 13th General Election on May 5.

Palanivel, who is MIC president and minister in the Prime Minister's Department, is up against DAP's M. Manogaran, 53, who was formerly the party's member of parliament for Teluk Intan; Berjasa's Mohd Shokri Mahmood, 52, and independents N. P. Kisho Kumar, 32, and T. Alagu, 51.

Brimming with confidence, Palanivel, 63, arrived at the Tanah Rata District and Land office, together with wife, Datin Seri R. Kanagam, and more than 500 supporters, at 8.12am.

The list of candidates was announced by returning officer Datuk Ahmad Daud at 11.32am.

Alagu was the first to hand in his papers at 9.04am, followed by Palanivel, Manogaran, Mohd Shokri and Kisho.