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Party deputy president V. Senggutuan said the move will help the IPF eventually join the Barisan Nasional.
"But joining the BN is not our only intention. We just want to work together with the MIC for the good of the Indian community," he said.
He said the move to invite MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu to open the IPF national conference was good as it would help improve ties between leaders of both parties.
Last month, unhappy IPF veterans and former members asked party president Tan Sri M.G. Pandithan to step down if he wanted to merge the party with the MIC.
Ampang Pandan division deputy chairman P. Ragawan said those who had made an issue of the possible merger did not get positions at the divisional level.
"Our members wanted a younger generation to lead them. That caused some of the veterans to be sidelined. They were unhappy and created problems," he said.
Party vice-president V. Mathiyalagan said the announcement that IPF would not be dissolved indicates that Pandithan had the best interests of the party at heart.
Meanwhile, Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu is a believer in the adage that one should walk the talk.
The MIC president announced a RM500,000 grant towards the construction of IPF’s headquarters in Serdang. The IPF still owes close to RM800,000 on the RM5 million building.
Pandithan later awarded Samy Vellu the title "Champion of Indians".
Samy Vellu, in his speech, also called for IPF members not to regard the Tafe college in Seremban and the Asian Institute of Medicine, Science and Technology (AIMST) in Kedah as MIC institutions.
"Please enrol your children in the institutions. Although we are in different parties, we still have the same blood," he said drawing loud applause from the floor.
Also present at the IPF general assembly were former health minister Datuk Chua Jui Meng, MIC deputy president Datuk G. Palanivel, MIC vice-president Datuk S. Veerasingham, Penang Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon and Suhakam Commissioner Datuk N. Siva Subramaniam.
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