“Unlikely to go to CHOGM”: Wigneswaran

October 30, 2013  

• No official invitation to address CHOGM despite media reports, says Chief Minister
• By Dharisha Bastians in Jaffna
  Northern Province Chief Minister C.V. Wigneswaran is unlikely to make an appearance at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting that will get underway in Colombo next month, but his party will steer clear of calling for an Indian boycott of the summit.
  Speaking to the Daily FT at his office in Jaffna, the Chief Minister said despite media reports, there was no official invitation yet from the Government for him to attend or speak at the summit.
  “I do not think I will be going,” Wigneswaran cautiously noted, adding that he would be guided by the TNA decision on his attendance at the summit.
  “I will ask the TNA to advise me on whether or not to attend CHOGM. I will go along with the party’s decision,” the Chief Minister said. TNA Leader R. Sampanthan on a recent visit to Chennai had made it clear that while the Tamil alliance was grateful for the solidarity from Tamil Nadu but stopped short of calling for a boycott of the summit in Colombo by the Indian Prime Minister, Wigneswaran added.
  “Who are we to ask him not to come?” he said. TNA General Secretary Marvai Senathirajah announced last Saturday (26) that the party would boycott the summit and its Chief Minister would not be in attendance. However, when the dates for the next Northern Provincial Council session were being finalised last Friday afternoon after the inaugural sitting, the date was reportedly set for 11 November because the Chief Minister may be at the summit from 15-17 November, Council sources said.  TNA Constituent allies are vehemently opposed to the TNA participating in CHOGM but Senathirajah claimed the party would meet foreign delegations on the sidelines of the event.