The race is now on. With the conclusion of the MCA branch and divisional elections over the weekend, the mercury has gone up a few notches within the party.

Those who have successfully cleared the second election hurdle - 75 out of 191 divisions saw contests - can now set their sights on higher posts at the national level.

But it also means an arduous journey that will stretch over two-and-a-half months of hard campaigning before the final 100-metre dash to the finishing line on Oct 18.