KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 5 - Datuk Seri G. Palanivel has taken over as Perak MIC chief with immediate effect, a strategic move aimed at strengthening the party before federal elections are called.

The decision to place Palanivel, MIC's president, at the helm of the state chapter, appears to be part of Barisan Nasional's (BN) concerted efforts to ensure the front-line state does not fall back to the opposition, which scored an upset win in Election 2008.

During the polls, MIC was nearly wiped out from Perak when it only won in only one parliamentary seat.

Bernama Online reported Palanivel as saying in a statement here that the decision was to help strengthening MIC's influence in Perak.

“MIC states should focus on strengthening not only the party but also voters,” he was reported as saying.

“Perak is the most important state to the MIC and the Barisan Nasional. Although everyone considers voters have returned to support us, we still need to continue efforts to win the hearts and minds of people,” he added.

He also said the move was not made suddenly but had been considered for a long time.

He said he would meet with all MIC division chiefs in Perak in the near future, and insists Perak MIC must pay attention to the next general election.

Palanivel, who is also Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department also said that the young and those in the middle age group will be the most important decision makers at the next general election.

The loose coalition of PKR, DAP and PAS trounced BN in Perak during election 2008 when it won control over the 59-seat state with a slim three-seat majority.

But the state fell back to BN's hands during the controversial 2009 power grab when three PR assemblymen left their respective parties to become BN-friendly independents.

A year-long constitutional impasse ensued, resulting in a series of street protests and legal suits until the Federal Court declared BN's Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir the state's rightful Mentri Besar.