Wigneswaran Faces The Axe

By Easwaran Rutnam-Monday, January 18, 2016

Northern Province Chief Minister C.V. Wigneswaran will face pressure to resign or a no-confidence motion will be brought against him at the Northern Provincial Council if he fails to tow the line of the Tamil National Alliance.

TNA Northern Provincial Council (NPC) members will meet Wigneswaran today for key talks after having similar talks last week. TNA Northern Provincial Council member M.K. Sivajilingham told The Sunday Leader that today’s discussion will be a follow up to last week’s talks but dismissed claims that Wigneswaran will be asked to resign.

He also said that a crucial meeting will also be held on Thursday in Kilinochchi between the TNA Parliamentary group and TNA provincial council members of the North and East. However at talks held last week the TNA NPC members had reminded Wigneswaran on the TNA policies and the fact that he was elected to the post through the TNA. “Wigneswaran was told that we do not operate as individuals but as a party,” sources said with regards to the meeting held last week between Wigneswaran and the TNA members. The TNA has been working in a cordial manner with the government to address issues in the North but Wigneswaran has taken a different line and has been openly critical of the government.

Last Friday Wigneswaran slammed the Government at event attended by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.

Speaking at the National Thaipongal festival in Jaffna also attended by UK State Minister Hugo Swire, the Northern Chief Minister said that while the Tamils in the North recognise the change following the elections last year, they still live in fear and suspicion. He slammed the presence of a large number of soldiers in the North, the failure to free more land held by the military and the failure to abolish the Prevention of Terrorism Act. The Prime Minister later responded to the comments made by Wigneswaran saying the issues were being addressed in consultation with the Tamil National Alliance.