Arultchelvan said MIC’s grassroots leaders in Sungai Siput are “quite happy” that Jeyakumar will not contest under the PH banner as “they know they would have nothing much to attack him on”.

“They (the grassroots leaders) would keep telling their members that Jeyakumar is a good MP, not S Kesavan (the former PKR MP for Sungai Siput),” he told FMT.

“The MIC grassroots leaders have also ‘lobbied’ us, behind the scenes, to not stand in Sungai Siput because they know that it would be more difficult for them to wrest the seat back as Jeyakumar is known for his clean image.”

Arultchelvan also noted that MIC president SA Vigneswaran had said during the party’s recent general assembly that Jeyakumar has done more for the Sungai Siput residents than Kesavan.

Yesterday, PKR deputy president Rafizi Ramli defended PH’s decision not to form an electoral alliance with PSM over the Sungai Siput seat, arguing that the constituency had been won under the PKR banner in the past.

Rafizi said it was not about giving PSM a chance, but which party had the best chance, including in terms of election machinery. He cited PSM’s loss in the 14th general election when it stood in the seat under its own logo.

“In the end, we want to win,” he said at a press conference.

Arutchelvan said Rafizi should be focusing his attack on MIC and Barisan Nasional, rather than on PSM.

“This is because his continuous attack on PSM is only going to make more people and PSM grassroots supporters move away from PH,” he said.

He defended Jeyakumar’s track record as an MP, including his introduction of several private member’s bills on issues concerning the poor, and the quality of his questions asked during parliamentary debates.