Rafie, who is Seremban PKR deputy chief, was dropped by the party for the upcoming Negeri Sembilan state election.

The Ampangan state seat will now witness a three-cornered fight between Rafie, PH candidate Tengku Zamrah Tengku Sulaiman, and Perikatan Nasional’s Ghazali Zainal Abidin, Berita Harian reported.

In the 2018 general election (GE14), Rafie won the Ampangan state seat with a 1,360-vote majority.

Earlier this week, Rafie, a former state executive councillor, lashed out at the party leadership over their decision to not field him for the Ampangan seat.

He said it was common knowledge that he had worked hard to help people in the constituency and develop the state.

The Negeri Sembilan PKR leader also claimed that a “certain individual” was trying to remove him from the state administration.

Meanwhile, PKR vice-president and caretaker Negeri Sembilan menteri besar Aminuddin Harun has announced that Rafie’s membership in PKR is automatically terminated for contesting the Ampangan seat in the state polls as an independent candidate.

He said the party had not received any information from the incumbent Ampangan assemblyman regarding his intention to contest as an independent candidate.

“It is his right to contest, but his membership in the party will be terminated. We only heard he was interested in contesting in the seat (as an independent) yesterday,” Aminuddin said.