For the first time in party's history ITAK to hold election for leadership post
M.A. Sumanthiran and S. Shritharan hand over nominations
For the first time in its history of nearly 75 years, the oldest Tamil party in the country, Ilankai Thamil Arasu Katchchi (ITAK), is to elect its next president today in a highly contested internal election between two MPs representing Jaffna district, M.A. Sumanthiran and S. Shritharan.
Both of them have handed over their nominations for the top post.
Over the years, the party elected its leader on a consensus basis, but the party constitution allows an election if the party receives two nominations or more.
Former Batticaloa district parliamentarian S. Yoheswaran also handed over his nomination but later expressed his support for Mr. Shritharan.
The party is to appoint a committee to oversee the election, which is scheduled to be held at a hotel in Trincomalee today. During the internal party elections, 43 members of the party’s central committee and 285 party activists representing all divisional secretariats in both the Northern and Eastern provinces will cast their votes to elect the next leader. Following the election, the party is to hold its annual convention next Sunday in Trincomalee.
Addressing the media in Jaffna along with fellow candidate Yogeswaran, Mr. Shritharan said he expressed his willingness to lead the party since he was hopeful of bridging the gap between the community on the ground and the diaspora.
Mr. Sumanthiran, who came under criticism within the party and outside recently for his comments on sensitive issues, said he came forward to lead the party on a progressive Tamil nationalist path based on the party’s longstanding principles of self-determination and self-rule for the Tamilspeaking communities in the two provinces.
Former MP Mavai Senathiraja has been the ITAK President since 2014.
Trincomalee District Parliamentarian R. Sampanthan remains the ITAK parliamentary group leader.
Over the years, the party elected its leader on a consensus basis