Kuala Lumpur: As party elections are approaching, political tensions are heating up within the PKR party.
While the long leave of PKR Deputy President Rafizi Ramli has become a nationwide topic of discussion, the party leadership ordered re-elections for four PKR divisions. One of them is the Jempol division in Negeri Sembilan. In the divisional elections held early April, Manivannan Gowin, who contested for the post of division head, suffered a shocking defeat. Manivannan is currently serving as the political secretary to PKR President Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. He was elected as the Member of Parliament for Kapar in the 2013 general election and contested, but lost, in the Hutan Melintang (Perak) state constituency during the 2018 general election.
Last year, Anwar Ibrahim appointed Manivannan as one of PKR’s political secretaries.
Jempol division’s re-election was held on the 1st of May, 2025 and Manivannan won as the division’s head. Following his victory as head of the Jempol division, questions have arisen as to whether he will contest for the position of Vice President in the upcoming PKR national-level elections scheduled for this month.
Deputy Minister Datuk Seri R. Ramanan and Hulu Selangor PKR’s division head Dr. Sathia Prakash have announced their candidacy for the Vice President’s post. Manivannan, fresh from his victory as head of Jempol PKR division is expected to enter the race for Vice Presidents as the third Indian candidate.
With some heavy weights like Nurul Izzah and Selangor MB Amiruddin Shari eyeing the Vice President’s post it is doubtful whether an Indian candidate would be able clinch the coveted party post.
All the 3 Indian candidates have been actively involved in the party’s journey for the past many years and command substantial support within the party’s rank and file. Ramanan is a Deputy Minister while Manivannan is the political secretary to the party President Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Dr Sathia Prakash is the head of Hulu Selangor’ PKR division who contested for the Hulu Selangor parliamentary seat in 2022.
PKR’s nominations for the national positions have been postponed with speculations linked to Rafizi Ramli’s long leave. PKR’s Central Election Committee chairman Datuk Seri Dr Zaliha Mustafa has announced that the nominations will now take place on the 8th of May 2025 and has denied speculations that the postponement is linked to Rafizi Ramli’s long leave.
Once the nominations are over, only then it will be known whether there are only 3 Indian contestants for the Vice President’s post.
