News
Vigneswaran likely to contest NPC elections from new front
View(s):Northern Province Chief Minister C.V. Vigneswaran yesterday declared that he would contest the next provincial council elections from a new political front, if the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) was not ‘happy with him”. “I know some people in the TNA are not happy about my performance and I have been repeatedly criticsed by a parliamentarian,” Mr Vigneswaran told the Sunday Times.
He said he did not want to lead a confrontational political career and was in contact with the new political front. “I have been acting according to the mandate given to me and within my capacity I have been able to perform. I will issue a complete report on the performance of the council before its term lapses,” he said.
TNA Parliamentarian and spokesperson M. Sumanthiran told the Sunday Times that the alliance planned to field a new chief ministerial candidate at the next PC elections.
He said Mr Vigneswaran had violated the TNA constitution and failed to fulfil the pledges given to the people. “The money allocated to the council should have been used for the benefit of the people. Instead the funds still remain in the hands of the Governor,” he said.
The comments came as a new political front consisting of Tamil parties including a breakaway faction of the TNA was taking shape in the north in preparation for the PC elections.The group calling itself the New Tamil Peoples’ Forum has had discussions with Mr. Vigneswaran to field him as the chief ministerial candidate.
The council’s term ends on October 25.
Suresh Premachandran, a key member of the new front, said discussions were underway with the Chief Minister and they had a “positive” response from him.
The new front is made up of the Tamil Eelam Liberation Organisation (TELO), the Eelam People’s Revolutionary Liberation Front (Suresh Wing), the All Ceylon Tamil Congress (ACTC) and the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF). The political wing of the People’s Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE) known as the DPLF has also extended support to the front.
Meanwhile, EPDP Leader Douglas Devananda told the Sunday Times he was planning to contest as the NPC’s chief Ministerial candidate as the TNA had failed to meet the aspirations of the people.