KUALA LUMPUR: Nominations for the MIC's Women, Youth, Puteri and Putra wings' top leadership closed on Friday (Oct 22), with most of the positions won uncontested.

       Only the Women's wing will see a contest between incumbent chief S.J Usha Nandhini and former chief Datuk Mohana Muniandy.

       The current deputy woman chief M. Vikneswary Babuji will also face off with party central working committee member Dr P. Thanaletchumy for the number two position.

       MIC insiders say the fight in the Women's wing will be intense, as Mohana tries to wrest back the top position whilst her running mate Vikneswary will strive at retaining her number two position.

       "Usha Nandhini, besides retaining her position, would also have to work hard to help her running mate Dr Thanaletchumy grab the deputy woman chief position from Vikneswary," said the source.

       All four contenders have shown that they have the support of party president Tan Sri S.A Vigneswaran but talk from within the party states otherwise.

       Talk is that Mohana and Vikneswary are aligned to Vigneswaran, whilst Usha and Dr Thanaletchumy are aligned to party deputy president Datuk Seri M. Saravanan.

       There is also a contest for the two CWC positions allocated to the Women's wing.

       From Usha Nandhini's side, Perak's Premah Palaniandy and Selangor's Karampal Kaur will be contesting for the two positions against Mohana’s allies - Hulu Langat division's Krishnaveny Arumugam and Inbavally Renganathan, who is the Pahang Women chief.

       Those who won uncontested are Tenggaroh assemblyman Raven Kumar Krishnasamy who replaced MIC Youth chief Thinalan Rajagopalu, as well as Kishva Ambigapathy and Puvaneswary Rajaram who are the Putera and Puteri wings' chiefs respectively.

       Kishva, who is the Commonwealth Youth Innovation Centre chairman, endeared himself to Malaysians in 2016 when he met Queen Elizabeth II dressed in baju Melayu.

       The Chevening scholar had been given the honour of carrying the royal mace as he led Queen Elizabeth and her entourage down the aisle during the Commonwealth Day celebration at Westminster Abbey.

       Puvaneswary is meanwhile the MIC National Research Centre’s programmes and campaign executive.