MIC submitted only one name as candidate for the Hulu Selangor by-election, G Palanivel, revealed MIC youth leader T Mohan at a press conference in Kuala Lumpur today.

It is understood that Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak requested MIC to submit three names for consideration.

MIC Youth coordinator T Mohan 01052009 However Mohan ( left ) said MIC sent only one name last Friday as they felt Palanivel is the best candidate.

Palanivel stood in the last election but lost by a narrow margin to Dr Zainal Abidin Ahmad of PKR.  Zainal passed away last week forcing the by-election.

In justifying Palanivel's candidacy, Mohan said, “Palanivel's loss can be largely attributed to the political tsunami of 2008 where voters’ sentiments changed dramatically. Even then he lost by a slim majority.”

Responding to calls by local Umno divisions for the Hulu Selangor seat to be contested by Umno, Mohan said the Barisan Nasional coalition understands the seat-sharing concept.

"If Indians are supposed to contest only in Indian-majority constituencies, well, there are none in Malaysia."

One additional minister's post please

The Youth wing also requested that another ministerial position be created should Palanivel win.

MIC's current sole representative in the cabinet is Human Resource Minister S Subramaniam, who also serves as the party's vice-president.

NONE If Palanivel ( right ) wins, and no ministerial position is created for him, he would be superseded by Subramaniam in terms of seniority in the government.

But in the MIC’s ranking, Palanivel as deputy president, outranks vice-president Subramaniam, which makes the situation somewhat awkward all round.

The party last held two ministerial positions in the 1970s through party president V Manikavasagam and his deputy, A Nahappan.