CoFfEE witH PUNithAN

Aspirants for MIC party posts are banking on the 'vote for change' theme which swept Barack Obama to power, to work for them as well at the MIC party elections this weekend.

All three deputy president candidates - incumbent, G Palanivel, former deputy president, S Subramaniam and current vice president S Sothinathan are campaigning on the platform for change.

The Tamil press is playing up the fact that party president S Samy Vellu is also chanting the change mantra to ensure his man G Palanivel wins the three-cornered contest.

The candidates have also taken their campaigns into cyberspace. Apart from Palanivel, the other two have their own websites to promote their cause.

Sothinathan's campaign site can be viewed here whereas Subramaniam's site is here.

The impact of cyberspace was evident in the 2008 general election when Samy and almost all MIC reps were wiped out.

But he is still entrenched in the party. In MIC presidential elections, Samy retained his post uncontested when 48 of 53 nominations for his challenger M Muthupalaniappan was rejected by the elections steering committee.

Food for thought

Candidates for presidential elections must obtain a minimum of 50 nominations from branches.

Similarly there are currently four poll sites in relation to the elections. Though they might not have a bearing on the eventual outcome, it would serve to gauge the popularity of the candidates.

They are micelection2009.com, micpolls2009.com, micelections2009.com and micfuture2009.com

Since the party came close to being virtually wiped out in the March 8 general election, there are questions that delegates really need to ponder prior to casting their votes.

Is Indian community ready to embrace change?

In light of Samy's unprecedented 11th term in power, is it possible? If change is vital to MIC, why didn't Samy stay neutral, instead, he's promoting his preferred team.

If Palanivel and Subra wanted change, why did not they initiate or implement them when they were occupying the hot seat at different points in time, by making room for a younger breed to come to the fore?

Can there be changes if the MIC's No 1 and the same tired faces are still ruling the roost? The delegates this weekend have an onerous task.

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Change Is Inevitable If MIC Is To Remain Alive

MIC ELECTION - PEOPLE'S CHOICE FOR CHANGE

VISION FOR CHANGE

BELIEVE IN CHANGE-VOTE FOR CHANGE

Sothinathan : I don't speak about any particular individual and I don't want to do that to rise in politics