Division in TELO over decision to support UNP PM

The Tamil Eelam Liberation Organisation (TELO), a constituent party of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) is at odds over the decision by the TNA to support a government led by the United National Party (UNP).

The TNA had written to President Maithripala Sirisena on Thursday saying that it would support a government led by the UNP in a bid to end the current political impasse and TELO leader Selvam Adaikalanathan and another member of the party K. Kodeswaran had also signed that letter.

TELO Vice President and former Northern Provincial Councillor M.k. sivajilingam said the decision should have been taken at the party’s coordinating committee and not in the Parliamentary group meeting.

He stated that it is not appropriate for the TNA to take decision to defeat Mahinda Rajapaksa or to make Ranil Wickremesinghe win as the TNA had failed to resolve the problems of the Tamil people supporting a UNP led government for three and a half years. He said Tamils do not trust a UNP led government either.

Sivajilingam was of the view that the TNA should have used the issue to get the problems faced by the Tamils resolved and should have supported whoever pledged to resolve them.

He added that his group in the party would force those two members who signed the letter to withdraw their signatures.

TELO Vice President and former Northern Provincial Councillor M.k. sivajilingam said the decision should have been taken at the party’s coordinating committee and not in the Parliamentary group meeting