TNA ready to cooperate with govt.

Wigneswaran sworn in before President Rajapaksa

By Dasun Edirisinghe-October 7, 2013

 Leaders of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) signalled their readiness to cooperate with the government after retired Supreme Court Judge C. V. Wigneswaran was sworn in, as the first chief minister of the Northern Province, before President Mahinda Rajapaksa, at Temple Trees yesterday morning.

TNA leader R. Sampanthan told journalists that they would cooperate with the government to work for the people of the north.

Northern Chief Minister Wigneswaran said they were ready to work with the government without any issues.

Wigneswaran contested the Northern Provincial Council election on the TNA ticket as the chief ministerial candidate.

The TNA secured a solid majority in the council, while Wigneswaran obtained 132,255 preferential votes and topped the Jaffna District list.

All 28 TNA members, elected to the council from the Mannar, Vavuniya, Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu and Jaffna Districts endorsed the proposal to appoint Wigneswaran as the chief minister at a meeting in Jaffna a week ago.

The TNA councillors refused to take oaths before the Northern Governor Maj. Gen. (Retd.) G. A. Chandrasiri. However, Wigneswaran received his letter of appointment from the Governor last week.

The TNA has yet to decided on its ministerial portfolios as its constituent PLOTE has asked for two out of four posts.

Maj. Gen. (Retd.) Chandrasiri, TNA leaders, Wigneswaran’s family, EPDP leader Douglas Devananda, SLMC leader Rauff Hakeem, government ministers and UNP MP John Amaratunga were among those who attended yesterday’s swearing-in ceremony.