<p>M. Sambanthan was elected Indian Progressive Front (IPF) president. He polled 326 votes to defeat his nearest rival M. Thirumugam who received 216 votes.<br /><br />Sambanthan is the third president after its founder late M.G. Pandithan and his wife Jeyashree Pandithan.<br /><br />Jayashree's elevation was endorsed by Pandithan before he died in 2007, but was challenged and later held invalid, leaving the party without a formal leadership.<br /><br />The IPF, also known as the All Malaysian Indian Progressive Front, was formed as a splinter of the Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) by Pandithan, who fell out with MIC's chief S. Samy Vellu. <br /><br />The IPF supports ruling coalition Barisan Nasional (BN) but is not its member.<br /><br />The results were announced Sunday after BN secretary-general Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor opened the party's general assembly.<br /><br />Sambanthan's running mate, M. George, polled 414 votes to win the deputy president's post.<br /><br />The five elected vice-presidents are Kathir Maidin, K. Naducheralathan, S. Vasu, K. Elumalai and G. Panneerselvam.<br /><br />The election is expected to resolve the crisis in the IPF, The Star said Tuesday.</p>
<p>M. Sambanthan was elected Indian Progressive Front (IPF) president. He polled 326 votes to defeat his nearest rival M. Thirumugam who received 216 votes.<br /><br />Sambanthan is the third president after its founder late M.G. Pandithan and his wife Jeyashree Pandithan.<br /><br />Jayashree's elevation was endorsed by Pandithan before he died in 2007, but was challenged and later held invalid, leaving the party without a formal leadership.<br /><br />The IPF, also known as the All Malaysian Indian Progressive Front, was formed as a splinter of the Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) by Pandithan, who fell out with MIC's chief S. Samy Vellu. <br /><br />The IPF supports ruling coalition Barisan Nasional (BN) but is not its member.<br /><br />The results were announced Sunday after BN secretary-general Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor opened the party's general assembly.<br /><br />Sambanthan's running mate, M. George, polled 414 votes to win the deputy president's post.<br /><br />The five elected vice-presidents are Kathir Maidin, K. Naducheralathan, S. Vasu, K. Elumalai and G. Panneerselvam.<br /><br />The election is expected to resolve the crisis in the IPF, The Star said Tuesday.</p>