TNA reveals deal with RW to support NCM

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) has revealed the deal reached with the United National Front (UNF) government led by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe in order to extend its support to defeat the no confidence motion (NCM) moved against the government in parliament last week.

TNA Parliamentarian Easwarapatham Saravanapavan has said that the TNA demanded a separate Tamil division in Kalmunai.

“We were undecided on how to vote on the NCM until we were certain that our demands would be met,” The Sunday Morning newspaper reported.

Saravanapavan has noted that the UNF government had finally agreed to set up a separate Tamil division in Kalmunai.

“Until 6.10 p.m. on Thursday, we were not sure how to vote. Then, we were informed that an accountant had been appointed as a first step to establish the separate Tamil division,” the TNA MP has said, adding that the TNA had decided to abstain from voting on the NCM at this juncture.

When inquired if there were any other agreements between the TNA and UNF government, Saravanapavan has noted that the TNA had indicated their main demands years earlier.

“We have already given our demands and it is up to the Government to deliver. What we want mainly is the new constitution. They must have the guts to bring it to Parliament,” he has added.

Despite rumours of a deal struck between the TNA and Wickremesinghe to must support for the NCM, the TNA remained tightlipped on the matter until Saravapavan’s revelation.

Separate division

The TNA was in a continuous battle with the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) to demanding a separate Tamil division in the Kalmunai Pradeshiya Sabha (PS).

The TNA maintained that the demand for a separate Tamil Divisional Secretariat is a decades-old request, going back to the late Appapillai Amirthalingam who once was the Opposition Leader of Parliament.

Earlier, the Prime Minister had requested the TNA to meet with the SLMC and resolve the matter amicably since the SLMC was opposed to the setting up of a separate Tamil division in the Kalmunai PS.

However, the SLMC has remained non committal about the matter following the Prime Minister’s agreement with the TNA.