KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 20 — Datuk Seri G. Palanivel’s MIC presidency is expected to go uncontested next month, thanks to the weekend intervention by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and the party’s upper echelon.

According to The Star Online, Najib told a Sunday meeting with Palanivel (picture), his deputy Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam and vice-presidents Datuk M. Saravanan and Datuk SK Devamany that it was better to focus their efforts on rebuilding the party instead of fighting for posts.

“The prime minister advised the four that it would be better to avoid a contest to avoid a split and concentrate on strengthening the party,” the English daily quoted a party source as saying.

“The four MIC leaders had a separate meeting in a hotel and decided to heed the prime minister’s advice. They agreed to the no contest for the president’s post for the sake of unity,” the source reportedly added.

According to the newspaper, the party leaders will formally announce their decisions on Thursday.

Earlier today, Palanivel appeared to display confidence when asked to comment on possible challenges to his presidency come the September 1 party election.

The Star Online quoted the Cameron Highlands MP as saying that there was no powerful challenger to the post at present.

“The president and deputy president posts will remain unopposed,” he said, adding a confirmation that his deputy Subramaniam would no longer take him on in the election.

Only the posts of vice-presidents and central working committee members would be contested, he was quoted as saying.