Now that the battle for Kajang state seat is over with PKR winning comfortably, the focus will shift to the Selangor state assembly and party polls on April 28.
And in both cases the political career of Selangor Menteri Besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim is at stake.
It all began after the 13th General Election when Pakatan Rakyat won more than two-thirds of the state assembly seats in Selangor.
Initially, PKR deputy president Azmin Ali was touted to become the Selangor menteri besar and was said to have the blessings of party de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim.
However, Azmin’s dream was dashed when Pakatan members DAP and PAS were in favour of Khalid. Even PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail endorsed Khalid for a second term.
With his ambition put on hold, Azmin then started lashing out at several policies of the state government.
The breaking point came when Azmin was removed from the Selangor Development Corporation Board (PKNS) late last year.
While no one is certain what really transpired, Azmin’s supporters have blamed Khalid, who is also PKNS chairman, for the move.
In a surprise turn of events, Khalid announced that he will challenge Azmin for the PKR deputy presidency.
Will Khalid be removed as MB?
Realising trouble was brewing, PKR engineered the resignation of Kajang state assemblyman Lee Chin Cheh.
Dubbed the Kajang Move, the strategy was initiated by Anwar to contest the seat and later replace Khalid as menteri besar to avoid a ‘civil war’ in the party.
However, the plan was disrupted when the Court of Appeal overturned the High Court’s ruling which had acquitted Anwar from sodomising his former aide, Saiful Bukhari Azlan.
The Court of Appeal’s ruling not only dashed Anwar’s plan to pacify both Azmin and Khalid’s camp but also disrupted the Opposition Leader’s plan to contest the PKR presidency in April.
As a last resort, Wan Azizah was picked as the replacement candidate for the Kajang by-election and the party veteran won the seat handsomely on Sunday.
But the question now is whether Wan Azizah will make a move to remove Khalid as menteri besar.
It was Wan Azizah who endorsed Khalid for the post, albeit her husband’s reservation.
And will Khalid back off from challenging Azmin for the deputy presidency if Wan Azizah intervenes?
Guess the game of thrones in PKR will get more heated up in the months to come.
