Parting ways with the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), C.V. Wigneswaran, who served as the first Chief Minister of Sri Lanka’s Northern Province, on Wednesday launched a new political formation called the Thamizh Makkal Kootani (TMK).
The kootani or alliance, he said in a public address, would uphold the fundamentals of Tamil nationalism, take up war-time accountability, and push for a political solution both through domestic and international mechanisms. The new formation will balance “the political” with “development”, tapping the diaspora, non-government organisations and international community for resources to implement programmes aimed at giving people prosperous lives,the former Supreme Court judge said.
With indications of Mr. Wigneswaran’s departure emerging weeks earlier, the launch of a new political outfit came as little surprise, especially since his growing disagreement with TNA leader R. Sampanthan is no secret. In his valedictory address at the last sitting of the Northern Provincial Council in Jaffna on Tuesday, Mr. Wigneswaran hit out at the TNA, accusing its leaders of abandoning him during the five-year term of the council.
The TNA is yet to make a statement on the development. However, Mavai Senathirajah, leader of the TNA’s chief constituent Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi, recently said that fielding Mr. Wigneswaran in the 2013 provincial election was a “sin” and that it would be “washed soon”. Speaking at a public event in Mullaitivu, he had said: “There are many allegations against the CM with evidence... just like the Tamil people, we too are very disappointed that the Council under his leadership did little for our people.”
Earlier, lawmakers, including Mr. Senathirajah and M.A. Sumanthiran, of the TNA had said that their alliance was unlikely to nominate Mr. Wigneswaran as chief ministerial candidate for the second time.
