Petaling Jaya Selatan MIC division leader, Bharat Maniam - a long-time ally of party president S Samy Vellu - is battling to obtain a senator's post from the party as senator P Loga Chitra's term has ended.

However, according to today's Tamil dailies, party youth leader T Mohan is the preferred choice to fill the post that fell vacant last month.

NONE In an SMS to Samy and forwarded to Malaysiakini , Maniam ( left ) argued that he had been an asset to Samy and the party since 1978.

"...solved many problems faced by you in particular...1988 MG Pandithan problem, 1989 presidential election as well as a rash of share scandals including Telekom, Maika and Renong...'

MIC's allocation comprises six senator seats in the upper House.

Contacted today, Maniam, whose actual name is V Subramaniam, said: "I will expose Samy Vellu's wrongdoings in the next few days.

"Samy Vellu promised to give me an opportunity to contest a state seat in the 1990 general election and the 1999 general election along with a state exco post and senatorship in 2000. I was also promised a state seat in the 2004 general election," he said.

But none of the promises were kept, he added.

MIC Deputy president G Palanivel was the party's  most recently appointed senator.

  NONE At the press conference this afternoon, its youth wing's information chief, S Subramaniam ( right ) said that the party is even prepared to face legal action from Bharat Maniam over this issue.

"We will support the party leadership's decision, regardless of who is appointed senator," he said when asked on the wing's stand.

He also pointed out to Bharat Maniam that it is the party's prerogative to decide on the choice of senators, so he should not take that task upon himself.

Subramaniam added that as a divisional leader, he has failed to resolve local issues such as the long standing squatter problem in Petaling Jaya Selatan.