Ramanan said PKR secured its highest-ever tally of 47 parliamentary seats in GE14 under her leadership as election director, Bernama reported.
“If, this time around, she becomes both deputy president and election director, I believe we could even win 70 or 80 parliamentary seats,” he was quoted as saying at a press conference following a special meeting with PKR division chiefs in Perak today.
PKR won 31 seats in the last general election (GE15) held on Nov 19, 2022.
Ramanan, who is also the deputy entrepreneur development and cooperatives minister, said 22 out of 24 PKR division leaders in Perak have thrown their support behind Nurul Izzah’s return to frontline politics.
He also said Indian voter support for PKR has been rising, thanks to targeted government programmes, as well as a record RM400 million allocation for the community.
PKR members are scheduled to elect the party’s central leadership on May 23.
Party president Anwar Ibrahim is unopposed, while Nurul Izzah, his daughter, will face incumbent Rafizi Ramli in the race for the deputy presidency.
Ramanan is among 12 contenders for the four PKR vice-president’s slots. They include incumbents Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, Chang Lih Kang, Amirudin Shari and Aminuddin Harun.
Meanwhile, Atiqah Syairah Shaharuddin, a former aide to Nurul Izzah, said in a statement that the former Permatang Pauh MP should be rightfully recognised as the party’s “war commander”.
Atiqah spoke on the impressive results achieved during Nurul Izzah’s tenure as election director, particularly when compared to others like Azmin Ali, who secured 31 seats in the 2008 general election, and Rafizi Ramli, who also won 31 seats in the 2022 polls.
“Despite managing the Lembah Pantai constituency and also leading the campaign to free Anwar, Nurul Izzah excelled in her role as election director in 2018.
“The challenge at the time was navigating a coalition still in infancy, with Bersatu and Amanah transitioning out of the post-Umno and post-PAS phase,” she said, referring to the time when Bersatu was still part of Pakatan Harapan.