TNA won’t support MS-MR combine

November 7, 2018, 12:00 pm 

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) has ruled out support to the Sirisena-Rajapaksa government in parliament under any circumstances.

A four-member TNA delegation led by its leader R. Sampanthan made its position clear to President Maihripala Sirisena yesterday.

President Sirisena met the delegation, close on the heels of TNA MP S. Viyalendiran being sworn in as Deputy Minister of Regional Development (Eastern Development).

The TNA delegation comprised R. Sampanthan, Selvam Adaikkalanathan MP, Dharmalingham. Siddarthan MP, and M. A. Sumanthiran MP.

Political sources said that the TNA delegation had met President Sirisena at the Presidential Secretariat on the latter’s invitation. The meeting lasted for one and half hours.

Before Viyalendiran switched his allegiance to President Sirisena, the TNA parliamentary group comprised 16 lawmakers, including two on the National List. Another TNA MP Shivashakti Anandan, too, has rebelled and decided to remain independent.

TNA spokesperson Sumanthiran said: "The situation currently prevailing in the country was discussed at length. The President explained to the TNA delegation the circumstances under which certain decisions were made. The TNA delegation explained to the President the reasons for the decisions that have been made by the TNA and its members of Parliament, which decisions had been made public and are well known to the country and the world. The TNA delegation also explained to the President that the decisions taken by the TNA cannot be reversed and that the TNA will stand by the said decisions.

The TNA delegation also specifically told the President that in consultation with the President it would extend to the President its fullest support with regard to any future steps taken by him to stabilize the political situation in the country with the cooperation of all political parties. To enable this to be achieved at the earliest the TNA also urged HE the President to convene Parliament for a date earlier than now contemplated. The President stated that he would give his earnest consideration to this request."

Political sources told The Island that the TNA and the JVP would work together in parliament to thwart the new administration. Both the TNA and the JVP backed Maithripala Sirisena’s candidature at January 2015 presidential polls.

The JVP parliamentary group consists of six members, including two on the National List.

Sirisena-Rajapaksa combine has lost one out of its 95 member parliamentary group to the UNP since the President sacked Wickremesinghe as the PM on Oct 26.

Sources said that seven SLMC MPs (six elected/appointed on the UNP ticket and one on the SLMC ticket) were still with the UNP though so far Wijeyadasa Rajapakse, Wasantha Senanayake, Ananda Aluthgamage, Suresh Vadivel, Dunesh Gankanda, S.B. Navinna switched allegiance to the new government. In addition Ven Athureliye Rathana appointed to parliament on the UNP National List has already declared his support for the new administration.

The SLMC, too, backed Sirisena at the 2015 presidential polls (SF)