TNA wants President in Jaffna for CM oaths

By Chris Kamalendran-Sunday, September 29, 2013

Rajapaksa invited for swearing-in of NP ministers to avoid Governor

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) which swept the Northern Provincial Council polls last week has held out an olive branch to President Mahinda Rajapaksa by inviting him to Jaffna to swear in Chief Minister designate C.V. Wigneswaran and other councillors.

“We are now waiting for the President’s return from the United States,” TNA leader Rajavarothayam Sampathan told the Sunday Times. He said the TNA wanted the President to swear in those elected — but in Jaffna. In terms of the Provincial Councils law, the Chief Minister of a province could take oaths before the President or the Governor of the respective province. However the law permits the board of provincial ministers to take their oaths before the Chief Minister.

One of the issues for the TNA during its polls campaign was a call to replace the present Northern Province Governor, G.A. Chandrasiri, a retired Major General. They want the appointment of a civilian. The TNA is yet to finalise its board of ministers in keeping with the Provincial Council law which permits five ministers. It has already decided that one of them should be the Chief Minister designate Wigneswaran.

The TNA wants to assign five councillors to each of its ministers to assist in their work. A TNA source said, “This is to ensure they keep track of development programmes and ensure they are kept to a schedule.”

The TNA wants to ensure representation from the Northern Pronvince’s five districts — Jaffna, Mullaitivu, Mannar, Kilinochchi and Vavuniya — in the board of ministers.

After Polls Battle: TNA Chief Minister Elect Wigneswaran Meets Northern Governor

October 1, 2013 

Following a bitterly contested election in which the TNA made the removal of the military Governor of the North a major battle cry, Northern Chief Minister designate Justice C.V. Wigneswaran met with Governor Maj. Gen. (Rtd) G.A. Chandrasiri in Jaffna.

G.A. Chandrasiri

The TNA delegation discussed the appointment of the Chief Minister elect by the Governor and a venue for the recently elected council to meet.

TNA sources said an assembly hall in Kaittady was being prepared for the Northern Provincial Council to meet.

The Northern Governor is likely to issue the letter appointing Justice Wigneswaran as Chief Minister tomorrow, the sources said.

The TNA has repeatedly called for the replacement of the military governor Chandrasiri with a civilian. During the electoral contest, the TNA also accused the Governor of openly backing the ruling UPFA.

But the meeting in Jaffna between the TNA and the Governor had been civil, the sources said.