Kuala Lumpur MIC chief VKK Theagarajan has announced his decision to contest for vice-presidency in the coming party polls. This time around, he is certain of seeing the challenge through.

The 57-year-old leader, who is also the party's information chief, claims that he is in president S Samy Vellu's 'unofficial team'.

"I have informed him (Samy Vellu) and he had accepted it. I don't mind being a little frank. He said look Theagarajan I won't be able to back you up, that's your battle...but he accepted that I would be contesting the position.

"Although I am out of his official team but I am in his unofficial team," he told Bernama .

Last month, Samy Vellu ( left ) named incumbent vice-presidents S Veerasingham, KS Nijhar and secretary-general S Sothinathan as the three "preferred" vice-presidents.

In 2003, Theagarajan said that he would be vying for one of the three vice-president seats but pulled out after being "coaxed" by the president.

Heated affair

This time around, the battle for the veep posts scheduled in June, is expected to be a heated affair.

Apart from Theagrajan and the three "preferred" candidates, MIC veteran and former vice-president M Muthupalaniappan from Negeri Sembilan had also voiced his intention to contest.

On the same note, Bernama said that former state assemblyperson E Yohevel from the Teluk Kemang division in Negeri Sembilan is also expected to announce his bid for the post.

Theagarajan, asked on the possibility that he would pull out of the race for the second time, said it would not happen in this election.

"Definitely not. Alot of my friends in 2003 expressed their disappointment and even currently many have expressed scepticism that I may do that number but I can assure you that I will see it through this time.

"Even wild horses will not pull me away from my set goal. Whether I achieve the goal, it is the wisdom of the delegates but I will certainly not withdraw," he said.

Loyal to Samy

Asked if he would be aligned to any group or leader in the run-up to the polls, he said:"Eventhough I am not in the president's official line-up, I am aligned to him... you may call me a reserve player in his team".

"And I will go in on my own. I would not be aligned to anyone or any group. My loyalty would be to Samy Vellu," he added.

Asked if the fight for national positions in the MIC election this time around would result in a split in the party, he said party history had shown that picking of leaders did not end in splitting the largest Indian based political party in the country.

The focus in this year's contest is on the deputy presidency where Samy openly declared support for vice-president G Palanivel to contest against long-term number two S Subramaniam.