PERAI assemblyman P. Ramasamy has asked to take part in the Penang polls amid talk the DAP leadership is looking to remove him from the line-up of election candidates.

“I have stated publicly that I will be going for another term,” said Ramasamy, who is Penang deputy chief minister.

He also said he is not involved in any internal bickering in DAP

“I am not aware of a move within the DAP to remove me or Satees Muniandy from the list of candidates for the coming elections in Penang,” he told The Malaysian Insight.

“I am a member of DAP and not a particular member of a ‘gang’ or ‘faction’ in DAP.”

He said this when asked to comment on a news report that said the “Ramasamy camp” in Penang DAP is likely to be wiped out in the state polls.

A party insider told FMT that Ramasamy, Bagan Dalam assemblyman Satees and others believed to be in the same camp will be dropped in favour of DAP chairman Lim Guan Eng’s allies, including  Sundarajoo Somu of property company Eco World Development.

The Star had also reported that Ramasamy would be dropped.

Ramasamy has served three terms as an assemblyman since making his electoral debut in 2008.

Meanwhile DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke denied Ramasamy has been removed from the list of Penang candidates.

Speaking to reporters at the party’s Selangor convention in Klang, Loke said Pakatan Harapan and its allies are still discussing the seat allocations.

“We have not even begun seat negotiations. So we have not discussed candidates.

“We will only know the candidates on nomination day,” he said. – March 26, 2023.