TNA to get new leader

By P. Krishnaswamy

TNA frontliner Mavai Senadhirajah is to be elected as leader of TNA's main constituent party, the Ilankai Thamil Arasu Katchi (ITAK), in place of its incumbent leader R. Sambanthan, at the party convention in Vavuniya from September 5-7, according to party sources.

There is opposition within the party to this proposed move, the sources said. There was widespread contention within the party when Justice C.V. Wigneswaran, a total outsider to the party, was made Chief Minister of the Northern Provincial Council (NPC) when the ITAK won the polls in October 2013.

The ITAK is registered with the Commissioner of Elections to contest elections while the TNA is an alliance of four Tamil political parties which has not been registered. Senadhirajah is the incumbent General Secretary of the ITAK. It is speculated that on conclusion of the three-day convention, steps may be taken to register the TNA as a political party and to appoint Sampanthan as its leader.

Party delegates from all parts of the North and East - seven from each district - will attend the convention and on the first day meetings of the outgoing Executive Committee, Central Committee and politbureau and submission of minutes will be held. On the second day the new Executive Committee, Central Committee and politbureau will be elected and, on the third day a public meeting will be held at the Vavuniya public ground, the sources said.