PETALING JAYA: Parti Keadilan Rakyat vice presidency is the most sought-after position in the party election, with 18 candidates vying for four vacancies.

It is also the most intense battle so far.

Of the 18 candidates nominated to contest PKR’s vice presidency, five are seen as Rafizi Ramli’s camp.

They are: vice president Chang Lih Kang (Tanjung Malim member of parliament), organising secretary Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad (Setiawangsa MP), former Kapar MP G Manivannan, Negeri Sembilan menteri besar Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun and Youth vice chairman S. Thiban.

They have announced their support for Rafizi Ramli who is vying for deputy presidency, and they will contest as part of Rafizi’s team.

Those aligned to Radizi’s rival Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail are: information chief Datuk Seri Shamsul Iskandar Md Akin (Hang Tuah Jaya MP), communication director Fahmi Fadzil (Lembah Pantai MP), Alor Setar MP Chan Ming Kai, Kapar MP Datuk Abdullah Sani Abdul Hamid, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s former political secretary Farhash Wafa Salvador Rizal Mubarak, former Perak PKR deputy chairman MA Tinagaran, former Indera Mahkota MP Azan Ismail, Chuan assemblyman Datuk Michael Yek Diew Ching, Sentosa assemblyman G. Gunaraj and Bukit Selambau assemblyman R. Summugam.

Two other vice presidency contenders – Wanita chairman Fuziah Salleh, who is also Kuantan MP, and former vice president Mustafa Kamil Ayub – are seen as neutral.

Shamsul Iskandar was the 18th candidate to submit his nomination papers for vice presidency online.

Selangor menteri besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari, seen as aligned to former deputy president Datuk Seri Azmin Ali, also joins the fray. He is now said to be close to Saifuddin.

Saifuddin seems to be gaining more support from party leaders but this does not mean he will win the party election for sure.

In the 2018 party election, Rafizi challenged Azmin for the deputy president’s position.

He had the support of Anwar but lost to Azmin, showing that Anwar was unable to control the grassroots’ voting trend.