MIC requires a dynamic leadership to ensure that the Indian Malaysian community stands shoulder to shoulder with other races in this country, said party secretary-general S Sothinathan today.

"There must be a dynamic leadership so that Indians are not left behind. We have to accept the fact that the politics in this country is race based and we need to work hard to face any possibilities in the future," he was quoted as saying by Bernama .

In view of this, he said importance must be stressed on the type of leadership for the Indian community.

Sothinathan, who will be contesting for vice-presidency in the June 24 party elections, is confident of his prospects.

"From the campaign, it seems that the support from the various states are strong and I am asking the members to prove their support on voting day," he said.

Sothinathan is among the seven candidates who will be vying for the three vice-president seats up for grabs. He also has the blessings of party president S Samy Vellu.

The other candidates are incumbents S Veerasingam and KS Nijhar as well as MIC Kuala Lumpur chief VKK Theagarajah, former central working committee member and state assemblyperson E Yohevel, veteran M Muthuplaniappan and P Thiagarasan.

Next week's elections are being touted as a turning point in the party's history, namely because of the battle for deputy presidency.

The party's veteran number two S Subramaniam is being challenged by Samy Vellu's chosen candidate and current vice-president G Palanivel.

Over the past weeks, the president has launched a tirade against his estranged deputy, accusing him of a multitude of misdeeds ranging from employing underhand tactics to backstabbing.

Subramaniam, however, has denied the charges.

'Delegates intimidated'

Yesterday, Samy Vellu fired another salvo against his deputy after the latter alleged that party delegates were being intimidated into voting for Palanivel.

Subramaniam claimed that delegates are being given incentives to produce evidence they had voted for his rival.

They are told to bring cameras or camera-phones to polling booths to take pictures of marked ballot papers, he said.

He added that some delegates are told overhead cameras will record how they voted and they will be punished if they did not vote for the president's man.

Samy Vellu responded to these claims in a sarcastic fashion.

"Yes, we are using the satellite. Subramanimam must know. This election is of world importance. We will use satellite to see how delegates vote," he was quoted as saying by the New Straits Times.

"I think it is utter nonsense. You can tell him that. I have never seen madness like this. He has no respect for his party, no respect for democracy. He has no respect for the election committee in which he sat and approved," he added.