SriLanka has just concluded the South Asia’s first major election after the COVID-19 outbreak on a high note. The ruling party Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) walks into the new Parliament wielding a super majority.
The Tamil National Alliance (TNA), the main group representing Tamils of the north and east, with 16 seats in the last Parliament, secured only 10 seats, as voters decided to give others, including smaller Tamil nationalist parties, a chance.
In an exclusive interview with SBS Tamil, M.A. Sumanthiran, who won one of TNA’s three seats in Jaffna, admitted that the TNA had suffered a serious setback in its constituency, and called for serious introspection on the party’s political work as well as conduct amid growing differences within.
Commenting about this, Sumanthiran stated
If Sritharan and I had not won, the party would have secured just one seat and would have been pushed to a position of further disgrace. I am not one who acts against the party. But my co-candidates campaigned against me. Despite complaining about this to the party leader he did not take action. Sritharan was the only one who vocalised in support of me. Sritharan and I went to the leader and said ‘You also joined forces and conspired within the party. That’s why all of you conspirers have lost, we two have won’: we have told this and come.
Tamil National Alliance is formed through a congregation of several parties. In this, Sumanthiran belongs to Thamil Arasu Kachchi.
The victory of M.A.Sumanthiran , besides being subjected to criticism, it has also been accused that Sumanthiran has seized his victory through clandestine means from co-candidate Sasikala.
When he was asked in this respect, he said,
This accusation is expressed by people without an understanding of electoral vote counting system. You can’t say who has won until the final results are declared. But this sort of accusation has been made based on speculative guesstimates this time as well, like in the past, well before the conclusion of vote counting. The competition existed only for third and fourth spots between Mr.Siththarththan and Mrs.Sasikala and the contest was not between me and Mrs.Sasikala. I continuously stayed in the second spot.
The newly elected parliamentarian also denied claims that he had been inside the final counting area - as alleged by Mrs.Sasikala and said he arrived at the venue after midnight.
Usually, defeated contestant accuses the contestant directly ahead of him. On this occasion, however, the person who finished fourth (Mrs. Sasikala) is placing allegations against me.
When (he was) asked “You have opposition within your own party; if the party does not heed to what you say, you don’t have to continue to remain in that party”, Sumanthiran stated: “People’s’ ruling alone is important. Peoples’ judgement is favourable to me. Only the party should make changes in line with peoples’ ruling”.
At the same time, Mr.S.Sritharan has won a massive amount of votes in Killinochchi constituency. Sritharan has recently stated that if he would be offered party leadership when Tamil Arasu Kachchi is streamlined he would accept the role of party leader.
MA Sumanthiram & S.Sritharan Source: Facebook
If such a situation arises will Sritharan get your support?.
In reply to this question, Sumanthiran said “If such a situation arises I will provide my support”.
Furthermore a rift has emerged in the Tamil National Alliance after a late decision was taken to offer the National List seat of the Thamil Arasu Kachchi to a TNA member of the Ampara District.
TNA alliance members have accused ITAK of failing to consult them on the National List seat.
But Mr.Sumanthiran said the decision was made and no one can change it.
