TNA’s Ananthi won’t take oaths before Wigneswaran

Monday, 7 October 2013 00:01 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Party’s only elected female councilor irked at TNA decision to allow CM to take oaths before President
ITAK General Secretary Marvai Senathirajah to be absent during oath-taking today
TELO Leader to quit party leadership over ministerial portfolio tussle

By Dharisha Bastians Irked by the decision of the Tamil National Alliance decision to have its Northern Chief Minister sworn in before President Mahinda Rajapaksa, the party›s second most popular candidate at the recent provincial election has decided to take her oaths before an ordinary Justice of the Peace, Daily FT learns. Ananthi Sasitharan who polled over preferential 87,000 votes in the Jaffna District, second only to TNA Chief Minister designate C.V. Wigneswaran is refusing to be sworn in before the former Supreme Court judge and leader of the provincial council in which she is now a member, sources close to her said.

The TNA is planning an elaborate ceremony for its four provincial ministers and 30 councillors to take oaths before Chief Minister Wigneswaran on Friday. (11). Sasitharan is the wife of former LTTE Political Commissar for Trincomalee, Elilan and campaigned on a platform against enforced disappearances and alleged rights abuses during the final phase of the war. The TNA›s only elected female Councillor has not been invited to Wigneswaran›s swearing in ceremony today, the sources said. Sasitharan and other sections of the TNA are disillusioned by the Party›s overtures to the Government in Colombo after it campaigned on an anti-Government platform in the run up to the September poll, the sources said. Sasitharan is believed to be disgruntled over the fact that she has been overlooked for a ministerial portfolio despite polling a huge number of votes and being the party›s only female candidate, the sources said. The popular Sasitharan is also annoyed that the TNA has done nothing to ensure her security and the security of her daughters after her home was attacked in Jaffna on election eve, the sources told Daily FT. TNA General Secretary and Secretary of ITAK the TNA›s leading constituent party will also not be present at Chief Minister Wigneswaran›s swearing in today as he is overseas, Daily FT learns. Sasitharan and others are unhappy over the fact that the TNA is making most of its decisions in Colombo instead of in the Northern Province where a majority of its newly elected councillors reside. Last weekend TELO Leader Selvam Adaikalanathan decided to quit his post as leader of the TNA constituent party because TELO had been overlooked for a ministerial portfolio. The TNA’s final ministerial portfolio will be decided by the Chief Minister it was decided after a meeting on Saturday night.