All eyes on Palanivel as former MIC supremo weights options

PETALING JAYA: A short meeting between former MIC president Datuk Seri G. Palanivel and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak at Parliament has sparked hope for Palanivel's supporters.
The Wednesday meeting followed Palanivel's open meeting with DAP leaders during Thaipusam in Penang last week.
Tamil newspapers uniformly gave the Najib-Palanivel meeting front page coverage on Thursday with the Malaysian Nanban also reporting that Najib had promised to look into problems faced by Palanivel's faction when re-joining the MIC.
Sources said Palanivel also told Najib that he is now well and able to lead after being out of picture for several months traveling between India, Australia and Malaysia over health reasons.
"Najib told Palanivel that he will look into problems faced when reintegrating into the MIC," MIC sources allied with Palanivel said.
Datuk Henry Benedict Asirvatham, the former deputy chairman of Penang MIC under Palanivel, said the DAP had welcomed Palanivel with open arms during the Thaipusam celebration.
"Their aim is to re-field Palanivel in Cameron Highlands under a DAP ticket," he said when contacted.
"First there was tea, then a gathering and finally they asked Palanivel to speak and he said a few words," Asirvatham said.
In the 2013 ganeral election the DAP's M. Manogaran lost narrowly to Palanivel by 462 votes.
Political analysts said the Najib meeting was likely triggered by Palanivel's open meeting with Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng and his deputy Dr P. Ramasamy during Taipusam last week.
Asirvatham said they will offer Palanivel to join DAP if he quits MIC.
"It is good that Najib met Palanivel because Najib has a better picture of the whole situation now," he added.
Another Palanivel loyalist former CWC member A.K.Ramalingam said the meeting with Najib is good for their faction.
Najib's wants the MIC united under the current leadership led by Dr S. Subramaniam.