Before any electoral contest, the choice of candidate is always an issue. And it is no different for next month’s Bukit Selambau by-election.

The pressure is on PKR supremo Anwar Ibrahim to choose the party’s bukit selambau potential candidate 070309 kalaivanar Jerai division chief B Kalaivanar ( right ) as the Pakatan Rakyat candidate to contest the seat.

An influential group of PKR grassroots members in Jerai and Bukit Selambau have expressed their desire to Anwar to field the 45-year-old social activist to contest the seat which fell vacant following the resignation of incumbent assemblyperson V Arumugam on Feb 9.

Polling is on April 7 and nomination is on March 29 with a nine-day campaign period.

It is learnt Kalaivanar’s name has been shortlisted together with three other potential PKR candidates - Sungai Petani PKR division’s Dr Krishnamurthy, the division’s committee member S Sritharan and Merbok division’s committee member and Sungai Petani municipal councillor K Masilamani for Anwar’s perusal.

Due to intense competition for the slot, PKR grassroots members have turned up the heat to back Kalaivanar, the head of PKR Kedah Indian Community Development Committee (KICDC).

Fits bill perfectly

Lessons learnt from recent events in Perak and Arumugam’s alleged flirtation with MIC prior to his resignation have convinced this group of grassroots members that party loyalty and grassroots rapport should be the main criteria in the selection of candidate for Bukit Selambau.

bukit selambau potential candidate 070309 latha Kalaivanar’s candidacy is backed by KICDC wanita leader M Latha ( left ), who said that "he fits the bill perfectly with his unquestionable loyalty."

She added that Kalaivanar, who joined PKR in 2001, would be an elected leader with the right acumen as “he is a fighter who would not abandon the struggle for justice, freedom or fairness."

Latha said that the Jerai PKR chief had been held in police lock-ups across the country for at least 28 times for taking part in political gatherings, street protests and demonstrations against injustice, violation of human rights and undemocratic practices.

Latha claimed that grassroots feedback from Bukit Selambau revealed that constituents are in favour of Kalaivanar for his party loyalty and fighting spirit.

It is learnt many grassroots members could desert the party campaign in Bukit Selambau if Kalaivanar were to be overlooked.

They want him because they see Kalaivanar as one of them, not as an elite leader out of touch with grassroots, claimed Latha.

Kalaivanar's detractors however, claimed that his alleged ‘tainted reputation’ would be an issue

They felt that Anwar might be reluctant to field Kalaivanar following complaints received by the PKR leadership on his alleged ‘misuse of funds’ via his social network.

"Anwar has received letters of compliant directly from affected people," claimed a rival.

Fight like a gentleman

But Kalaivanar has challenged his detractors to prove their claims if they have evidence to suggest that he had misappropriated people’s money.

He also said the police would have arrested and charged him in court for cheating and soliciting funds via deception if such allegations had basis.

"Why did the police not take action against me? It’s a nonsensical smear campaign carried out by my political enemies to tarnish my image.

"If they want the seat, they should fight it out with me in a gentleman manner, not in such a cowardice way," Kalaivanar retorted to Malaysiakini.

Perak-born Kalaivanar contested and lost in the Gurun state seat, under the Jerai parliamentary constituency, in the last general election.

Arumugam won the Bukit Selambau state seat in last year's general election as an independent candidate when he defeated the Barisan Nasional candidate from MIC, S Krishnan.

He later joined PKR and was appointed an executive councillor under Kedah Menteri Besar Azizan Abdul Razak.

Besides the PKR candidates, DAP has also proposed its Lunas branch chief S Neelamekan, 49, who was born in Penang, while the Hindu Rights Action Force is promoting its local leader RS Thanenthiran as the ideal candidate.

The pressure is on and Anwar needs to look at all options before making the final decision on his choice.