TNA too, wants executive presidency scrapped

DEW hopeful grand coalition in the making

Sumanthiran

by Shamindra Ferdinando-July 13, 2014, 9:59 pm 

The five-party Tamil National Alliance (TNA) has thrown its weight behind efforts by the Opposition to abolish or at least dilute powers of the executive presidency.

TNA frontliner and attorney-at-law M. A. Sumanthiran, MP, yesterday said that his grouping would fully support the ongoing campaing for the abolition of the executive presidency. When pointed out the TNA had not given any indication recently as regards its position on the executive presidency, MP Sumanthiran said that the media had never raised the issue with the party.

The TNA comprises the Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kadchi, TELO, PLOTE, EPRLF and TULF.

Asked whether the TNA was ready to work with other like-minded political parties and groups to achieve that end, MP Sumanthiran said that if there was an effort to mobilise political parties against a common objective, the TNA would willingly support the effort.

At the last presidential election in January 2010, the TNA joined the UNP and the JVP in supporting the candidature of former Army Chief, General Sarath Fonseka against incumbent President Mahinda Rajapaksa. At the Nov. 2005 presidential election, the TNA urged Tamil speaking voters to boycott the presidential poll. The request was made on Nov 10 that year in Kilinochchi on behalf of the LTTE.

CP General Secretary and Senior Minister Dew Gunasekara told The Island that Tamil political parties and groups realised the need to do away with the executive presidential system, though they were supportive of it over the years. Minister Gunasekera said that the UPFA constituent, the MEP, too, recently sought a meeting with the Socialist Alliance (SA) to discuss constitutional reforms. The minister asserted that except for a few, the vast majority supported the call to do away with the executive presidency. The minister said that a grand coalition against executive presidency was in the making.