July 15, 2013, 10:00 pm


By Franklin R. Satyapalan


 Former Supreme Court Judge C. K. Vigneswaran has been selected as the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Chief Ministerial candidate at the forthcoming Northern Provincial Council elections.


TNA leader and parliamentarian R. Sampanthan yesterday announced that the alliance had unanimously decided to field Vigneswaran as its Chief Ministerial candidate.


TNA parliamentarian and lawyer M. A. Sumanthiran told The Island that contrary to some mischievous news reports, appearing in the national newspapers that the five-Party Tamil National Alliance (TNA) would break up over the nomination of its Chief Ministerial candidate, Vigneswaran had been their unanimous choice.


The unanimous decision was arrived at by 12 noon yesterday and the General Secretary of the ITAK, senior parliamentarian Mavai Senathirajah welcomed it.


A cross section of members of Tamil civil society, including lawyers, academics and professionals, commenting on the decision to nominate retired justice Vigneswaran said that no one could deny and would remember with much gratitude and respect all what Parliamentarian


Mavai Senathirajah had done in giving leadership to many struggles for the cause of the Tamils at great risk to his life and limb.


At the same time, no one would deny that the need of the hour was for the TNA to nominate a person with much experience in legal matters to tackle problems stemming from the implementation of the 13th Amendment.


Meanwhile, the five parties in the alliance were to appoint three members each to a 13-member coordinating committee to oversee all activities including the nomination of candidates in connection with the elections.

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