Samy's men romp home

Incumbent G Palanivel retained the MIC deputy president post by fighting off a strong challenge from rivals S Subramaniam and S Sothinathan.

Palanivel (left) garnered 629 votes against former deputy president Subramaniam, 547, and former vice-president Sothinathan, 280. His margin of majority was rather slim - 82 votes.

All three candidates endorsed by MIC president S Samy Vellu have also been elected to the three vice-president posts in today's party polls.

Human Resources Minister Dr S Subramaniam was the top vote getter with 1,260 votes, while deputy minister in the Prime Minister's Department SK Devamany came second with 1,122 votes and Federal Territories deputy minister M Saravanan joining the other two with 1,030 votes.

It is also learnt that most of Samy Vellu's men have won the lion's share of the 23 seats in the party's central working committee.

Samy Vellu feeling 'much better'

A visibly distraught Sothinathan said he accepted the verdict from the 1,469 party delegates.

"Even after what the prime minister had said today, they don't change. What can I do? Everybody knows the situation. The public know but still..."

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