Won't back CM Wigneswaran for another term: TNA

C V Wigneswaran, the first Tamil chief minister of Sri Lanka's Northern Province, will not be backed by his party Tamil National Alliance for another term amidst his differences with the main Tamil party, a senior party leader has said.

Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian MA Sumanthiran told reporters in Jaffna yesterday that when Wigneswaran was elected as the northern chief minister in 2013, the idea was to limit his term for 2 years.

"We do not expect to appoint Wigneswaran as the Chief Minister again because he said he would not hold the position for more than two years. We do not think it is suitable to give him the position again," he said.

The party sources said they would opt for veteran Mavai Senathiraja as TNA's chief ministerial candidate at the next election to be held later this year.

Wigneswaran, 78, a political novice and a retired Supreme Court judge, was elected with over 80 per cent of the Tamil vote.

But, of late, has been at loggerheads with the TNA over its policy towards the national unity government at the center led by President Maithripala Sirisena.

TNA's softer attitude towards the government has angered both the hardline Tamils and Wigneswaran.

Meanwhile, the Joint Opposition (JO) headed by former President Mahinda Rajapaksa is seeking the ouster of TNA leader R Sampanthan from his Leader of the Opposition post.

JO senior leader Dinesh Gunawardena said a movement for his ouster will be launched soon.

With the resounding victory of Rajapaksa's new party Sri Lanka People's Party in February 10 in the local council election, the JO seeks the position of Opposition Leader to Rajapaksa.

"It is no more the correct position that Rajapaksa be denied the post of the opposition leader," JO politician Udaya Gammanpila said.

Sampanthan and almost all Tamil and Muslim minority Tamil politicians voted in favour of the Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe in the no-confidence motion moved by JO last week.

The minority support meant a clear cut win for Wickremesinghe, enabling him to continue as the Prime Minister.