Others want TNA General Secy. Mavai Senathirajah to contest
Candidate to be finalised at meeting today?
With preparations in place for a poll for the Northern Provincial Council set for September this year, the election’s main contender, the Tamil National Alliance is divided over the issue of a Chief Ministerial candidate.
While a faction led by TNA Leader R. Sampanthan wants to field retired Supreme Court Justice C.V. Vigneswaran as the candidate for the Northern Province’s first Chief Minister, another group prefers to field TNA General Secretary Mavai Senathirajah for the position, it is learnt.
At least two rounds of discussions have been held among the alliance members on the issue but a consensus has not been reached. Meetings were held on 11 and 12 July to decide on the matter, but the party could not reach consensus on the issue, sources said. The party will meet again today looking to make a final decision about the Chief Ministerial candidate, TNA sources said.
While most TNA members feel Mavai Senathirajah is the best candidate since he has been in the North most of his life, others feel Vigneswaran is a high profile, credible option for the symbolically powerful position that could assist in keeping attention focused on the Tamil issue in Sri Lanka. (Colombo Gazette)
