The offers by two Indian-based political parties in the Barisan Nasional to Indian Progressive Front (IPF) to join them were made just to gain the vast grassroots support enjoyed by the latter, said an academician today.

Prof P Ramasamy said both Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) and People's Progressive Party (PPP) lacked the grassroots Indian support and were hoping to gain the ready-made support from IPF.

"IPF president MG Pandithan must be given the credit for mobilising the rank and file of Indian voters. MIC and PPP are trying to buy this support by asking IPF to join them so that they can benefit from the membership that IPF has," said the political science don from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia.

Ramasamy said that once Pandithan joined either of these parties, he would be sidelined in the ensuing political process.

"It is not that Pandithan does not know about this pitfall, so maybe he is expecting something more in black and white," he added.

No formal invite

MIC president S Samy Vellu made the offer first at the end of January on the grounds that it was necessary for the sake of Indian unity.

Samy Vellu said that he would find Pandithan a position within MIC but refused to make the offer in writing.

PPP president M Kayveas also said his party would accept IPF members into their fold but he too refused to extend a formal invitation to IPF.

Pandithan, a former vice-president of MIC who was expelled in 1988 for allegedly practising caste politics and later formed IPF, has said that he would leave the final decision to the members of his party.

IPF delegates numbering 2,950 will decide on this matter by putting it to the vote in their coming general assembly this Sunday.

A sign from the president

Ramasamy said the IPF members would be looking for a sign from their president on the offers.

"They are unlikely to decide on their own. They will wait for Pandithan to give them an indication," he said.

He added that Pandithan "most definitely won't join PPP" and will consider all aspects and benefits his party could gain by joining MIC.

He said Pandithan has strong support from his party's members who do not want to see their leader being sidelined in MIC or PPP.

"They will be mindful of what has happened to V Govindaraju who dissolved his party to join MIC."

Govindaraju, another breakaway leader from MIC, had formed the Democratic Malaysian Indian Party but disbanded the party to rejoin MIC. He was made a member of the central working committee and has been in the shadows ever since.

Ramasamy said that Pandithan, who has been fighting for membership in the 14-member BN coalition for a long time, will not want to offend prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad and that could prompt him to join MIC.

"Before doing that, he will try to get something for himself and his members,' said Ramasamy.

As a whole, the Indian community will not benefit from any merger between the parties, he added.

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