MIC leadership tussle: The circus is back

The writing was already on the wall when separate party elections on separate dates were set by the two rival factions of the Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC).

Datuk Seri G. Palanivel declared himself president of the (MIC on Sunday after no one challenged him for the post.

“I received 334 nominations which translate into more than 2,000 Branch Chairmen solidly supporting me as the valid and truthful President of MIC. Further, there was no other nomination received from any other candidate for the position of President of MIC,” he said in a statement on the same day.

“Thus, I have been declared as the President of MIC elected unopposed by more than 2,000 branch chairmen,” he added.

Palanivel then went on to layout his plans for the community and the 68-year-old party which includes consolidation of the party’s assets.

Now, the other camp, headed by the MIC deputy who is now the acting party president Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam is preparing for polls he set for September 6. Nominations will take place on August 21.

So far no one has offered to take him on, and this will likely lead to the same conclusion – Dr Subramaniam will declare himself the new MIC president.

It is a no-brainer what will happen next.

Once again, there will be two MIC presidents whose supporters will each be claiming that their man had rightfully and legally won the party presidency.

Now if you’re waiting for the Registrar of Societies (RoS) to weigh in on this matter, don't hold your breath.

The RoS cannot make decisions on who is the rightful president as it can only recognise a particular team or president.

So it’s back to square one.

Lawyers from both sides of the divide have gone through the party constitution and by-laws and have declared the opposing team illegal.

MIC’s troubles which began with the 2013 party elections are far from over, with both sides fiercely determined to hold on to power.

In the end, it seems, the circus never left town.