PADANG SERAI: After much of speculations, Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate Datuk C. Sivaraj is said to finally make way to Pakatan Harapan (PH) candidate Dr Mohamad Sofee Razak for the Padang Serai parliamentary election.
BN and PH are expected to make the announcement during their first joint-rally between the former two arch-nemesis to be held in Taman Desa Aman here tonight.
Speculations on BN's withdrawal were rife after Sivaraj cancelled all his campaign programmes in Padang Serai yesterday.
This came after PH announced it was withdrawing from Tioman state seat election to make way for BN candidate a day earlier.
It was learnt that the agreement was finally reached during a meeting chaired by Kedah BN chairman Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom last night. He is also not having any campaign programme today.
It was learnt that Sivaraj's last appearance for his campaign was on Wednesday, when he met with voters in Taman Serai Wangi.
Prior to that, Sivaraj was campaigning at the Sungai Karangan night market, where he crossed path with Arau PN Member of Parliament Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim.
Earlier Wednesday evening, Sivaraj told reporters that he was still campaigning as usual as he had yet to receive any instruction from BN leadership.
He had also reiterated that it was PH candidate who should be making way for him since he had been working in the constituency for the past three years.
Sivaraj's aides declined to comment on messages claiming that MIC has agreed to withdraw his candidacy.
The Padang Serai parliamentary election will see a six-cornered battle.
Sivaraj is locking horns with Datuk Azman Nasrudin (Perikatan Nasional); Dr Mohamad Sofee Razak (Pakatan Harapan); Hamzah Abdul Rahman (Pejuang); Mohd Bakri Hashim (Warisan), and an Independent candidate Sreadnandha Rao.
The Padang Serai parliamentary seat was previously held by PH's M. Karupaiya when he secured a 8,813 vote-majority win, beating MCA candidate Datuk Dr Leong Yong Kong and Mohammad Sobri Osman from Pas in the previous general election.
Karupaiya, 69, was nominated again by PH on Nov 5 to defend the seat. However, he died on Nov 16, two days after being admitted to Kulim Hospital due to a heart attack while campaigning.
Following his death, the Election Commission had decided to postpone the Padang Serai polls to Dec 7.
Padang Serai has 133,767 eligible voters, with 81,230 of the voters in Lunas state constituency while the remaining 52,546 voters in Merbau Pulas constituency.