Tanjung Karang MIC division secretary K Parthiban was today named as the Barisan Nasional's candidate for the forthcoming Ijok state seat by-election.

Selangor Chief Minister and state BN head Mohd Khir Toyo made the announcement at 5.20pm at Dewan Harmoni in Ijok.

Also present were Parthiban, MIC president S Samy Vellu, Umno information chief Muhammad Muhd Taib and MCA deputy president Chan Kong Choy.

Parthiban was mobbed by his supporters as he entered the hall at about 4.55pm.

Khir said he was confident Parthiban would be able to win with a bigger majority on April 28.

"Our massive majority must ensure that the opposition has no place left in this country," he said.

A nervous Parthiban said he was informed about his nomination for the seat by MIC deputy president G Palanivel last Thursday.

"I ask for the all voters in Ijok to elect me to retain this BN seat," he said, adding that he would work hard for everyone in his constituency irrespective of race and religion if elected.

Parthiban, a 38-year-old bachelor, worked as an education officer at the Kuala Selangor district education department until his resignation last Friday.

Parthiban is a graduate teacher who had taught in Tamil schools and secondary schools in Kuala Selangor and Tanjung Karang.

He was born in Raja Musa estate in Kuala Selangor, which also includes Ijok under its parliamentary constituency.

Previously several other names were speculated to be the candidate in this Malay-majority seat. Parthiban's name was not in the list at all.

As reported by malaysiakini yesterday, Parthiban's candidacy has not gone down well with several MIC grassroots leaders in Kuala Selangor.

Samy replaces rebels

Kuala Selangor MIC chief P Thirumoorthy has even threatened to resign from the post and the party if he was not named as the BN candidate for the Ijok by-election.

He claimed yesterday that he has the support of 33 MIC branches in Kuala Selangor, including 18 from Ijok and two from Tanjung Karang.

Samy Vellu however was not moved by this threat, telling Thirumoorthy that he could leave the party.

The works minister said his chosen candidate could still win without the support of the division leader.

Speaking to reporters after the announcement of the candidate today, Samy Vellu said he was confident of a good victory in Ijok.

"Anyone can contest here. We are not worried about anybody," he said.

He also refused to put a figure on the majority MIC was targeting to achieve.

"We just want to win... we only worry about serving the people," he added.

Samy Vellu also said that he had found a replacement for Thirumoorthy as a division leader and had appointed six new branch leaders for the other rebels.

He added Thirumoorthy had no authority to close down MIC branches as that was within the powers of the party's central working committee.

Earlier today, Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak said everyone in BN must stand united behind the chosen candidate.

"As party members, we have to accept the decision. That's the meaning of us serving the party and abiding by the party's principles," the BN deputy chairperson was quoted by Bernama .

The other candidates

Meanwhile, businessman and MIC member K Loganadan has said that he would contest as an independent in the by-election.

Bernama quoted him as saying that his decision to contest was not on the instigation of anyone but to fulfil his desire to serve the rural folk.

He claimed the area had not tasted much development and progress under the previous assemblyman.

Loganadan, 47, who lives in Klang, was born in Caledonian Estate, near Ijok town. He received his primary education at a Tamil school there and went to a secondary school in Batang Berjuntai and Batu Arang.

"I'm a local boy who lived in Ijok for 18 years and I'm very familiar with the people's problems in the constituency," said Loganadan, who is also deputy president of Kelab Motivasi Insan Cemerlang Selangor, a non-governmental organisation.

Claiming that he was an MIC member for about eight years, Loganadan said he had many relatives and friends in Caledonian Estate, which comes under the Ijok constituency.

With Loganathan's participation, the by-election is now expected to see a three-cornered fight with Parti Keadilan Rakyat completing the contesting trio.

PKR is considering two candidates - its treasurer Khalid Ibrahim and businessman S Nallakarupan - for the seat and is expected to make an announcement tomorrow. However, it is likely that local boy Khalid will get the nod from the opposition party.

The Ijok seat fell vacant following the death of incumbent BN assemblyman K Sivalingam, 59, of a heart attack in Chennai, India, on April 4.

The Election Commission has set Thursday for nomination and April 28 for polling.

Watch 5-minute video of the annoucement