Caste politics, no more?

After almost a year, the Registrar of Societies (RoS) finally made a decision over the complaints of irregularities in the MIC’s party polls held last year. And it had ordered the party to hold a re-election in the next 90 days.

The decision came as no surprise to those closely following the matter as talks of a re-election were widely circulated in the last few weeks, running up to the announcement.

The RoS had on Friday ordered fresh elections to be held for the party’s three vice-president posts, 23 central working committee (CWC) members, eight divisions and certain posts in branch and division levels.

Party president Datuk Seri G. Palanivel who is being blamed for the fiasco as he was the party election committee chairman who oversaw the whole process, is expected to make an announcement once he returns from official visit in Peru.

He is expected to return on Dec 11 but party insiders say he is in ‘no hurry to respond to the latest turn of events’ and is only expected to do so on Dec 15.

"Maybe he wants to speak when all the stars are at their right positions," the former central committee member added, as he commented on Palanivel's penchant for astrology.

It is unlikely that Palanivel would want to challenge RoS's decision, as the DAP did last year and discovered that the courts cannot hear party matters.

A re-election is confirmed and the next few days will see candidates announcing their candidature and the start of campaigning. Some of them have already begun even as this article is being written.

But will the re-election hailed as a sign of democracy by some quarters in the party, will see the caste politics rear its ugly heads?

The 2013 party polls held in Malacca was probably the only time claims of caste politics was not widely talked about, probably because everyone was too focused with the irregularities and there were already talks of going to the RoS and calling for a re-election.

Caste politics is not something new in the MIC especially during party polls and selecting candidates during general elections.

The old guards of the party would tell how candidates were picked based on a caste quota and depending on seats they are going to contest.

And some claimed that such practices began during the times of former party president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu and that those of his caste were given top positions in the party.

And voting along caste lines still continue in the MIC, where delegates pick candidates for top positions based first of their caste and then track record.

Some delegates lamented that some of the top leaders who were elected into office last year would not have been where they are today if not for caste politics.

Former MIC youth leader Datuk T. Mohan when contacted urged delegates to vote based on performance and track record.

"I believe our delegates have matured and such practice should not happen anymore. And I believe this time, they will be able to judge better as to who have been performing and going to the ground since the election results were announced last year," he said.

Well, we can always hope, can't we?