News
Prez poll 2024: ITAK alleges bid to confuse Tamil electorate, reiterates backing for Sajith
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Top spokesperson for Illankai Thamil Arasu Kadchi (ITAK) and Batticaloa District lawmaker Shanakiyan Rasamanickam yesterday (13) said efforts made in some quarters to confuse the Tamil speaking electorate had been convincingly defeated and their decision to support Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) candidate Sajith Premadasa at the Sept. 21 election had been communicated to their people.
MP Rasamanickam emphasised that the ITAK had moved swiftly and decisively to counter attempts by a small but an influential group of people to misinterpret its decision taken at a Central Committee meeting held in Vavuniya on Sept. 01.
The Batticaloa District ITAK strongman said so in response to The Island query as Jaffna district ITAK lawmaker S. Sritharan continued to dispute the decision taken at a properly constituted meeting in compliance with due procedure.
There were a couple of vacancies in the 41-member CC. Of the available membership, 31 members attended the Vavuniya meeting where a decision was made to back the candidature of Sajith Premadasa, MP, he said pointing out that 26 CC members out of 31 present had declared their support for the SJB leader, whereas two assured they would abide by the decision taken by the party, and three threw their weight behind Tamil candidate Pakkiyaselvam Ariyanenthiran.
“We perused the manifestos of three main candidates – independent candidate Ranil Wickremesinghe, SJB leader Sajith Premadasa and NPP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake. An overwhelming majority accepted the SJB leader’s manifesto,” MP Rasamanickam said. Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) and All-Ceylon Makkal Congress (ACMC), too, have declared their support for the SJB leader.
Declaration of Pakkiyaselvam Ariyanenthiran as the common Tamil candidate, backed by former militant groups TELO and PLOTE (both constituents of Tamil National Alliance) and EPRLF, had been in line with their overall strategy to undermine the ITAK decision, MP Rasamanickam said. Thamil Makkal Thesiya Kuttani (TMTK), led by retired Supreme Court Justice C.V. Wigneswaran, MP, backs Ariyanenthiran, while parliamentarian Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam’s All Ceylon Tamil Congress (ACTC) wants people to boycott the presidential election – for the fourth occasion since the conclusion of the war in 2009.
Responding to another query, the MP insisted that the Northern and Eastern electorates weren’t so naive to be deceived by the fielding of a common Tamil candidate at a moment when the country was at a crossroads. Over 17.1 million are eligible to vote at the Sept. 21 national poll.
ITAK is the leading party in the TNA, with TELO and PLOTE being the other constituents. The TULF, that had been among the original line-up, left the grouping shortly thereafter, and EPRLF quit much later. As the TNA hadn’t been recognized by the Election Commission, the grouping contested under the ITAK’s symbol and represents Parliament under the same. The third largest grouping in parliament consists of 10 MP s.
According to MP Rasamanickam, of that group, six were members of the ITAK. Except for Sritharan, who represents the Jaffna electoral district, the rest declared their support for the SJB leader, the MP said.
Commenting on post-R. Sampanthan developments, the outspoken MP said that against the backdrop of Jaffna District Court issuing an injunction preventing the ITAK from holding its general convention in February this year, MP Sritharan couldn’t function as the leader, therefore those responsibilities would be performed by former MP Mavai Senathirajah, Rasamanickam said.
The MP stressed that in terms of their party Constitution, the leader, regardless of his status, wasn’t above the CC. Therefore, in spite of contradictory views expressed over the contentious issue of their backing for the SJB leader, the decision taken by the CC, following a spate of deliberations, remained unchanged, the parliamentarian said.
MP Rasamanickam said that the party would continue the dialogue with the SJB leader, in line with their overall objective of reaching consensus with his government.
Presidential hopeful Premadasa has repeatedly declared his intention to fully implement police and land powers in terms of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, enacted in November 1987, consequent to the Indo-Lanka peace accord of July 1987.
As part of the official visit to London for the 43rd Commonwealth of Learning (COL) Board of Governors Meeting 2026, the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, held discussions with academic experts from the British Council on Wednesday [20 May 2026].
The discussions focused on strengthening cooperation in education, particularly in the areas of teacher training, English language programmes, education frameworks, and language acquisition skills.
The British Council shared international experience and highlighted its ongoing engagement in Sri Lanka, while expressing readiness to support the country through technical assistance, teacher development initiatives, and policy collaboration.
Discussions also included views on improving quality assurance, expanding research collaboration, and enhancing learning opportunities.
The Prime Minister appreciated the British Council’s continued engagement in Sri Lanka and reiterated the importance of deepening partnerships.
[Prime Minister’s Media Division’
Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, who is currently on an official visit to the United Kingdom, met with members of the Sri Lankan community living in London on Wednesday [20th] and engaged in cordial discussions.
Despite the event being held on a weekday, it was notable that nearly one thousand Sri Lankans representing the Sinhala, Tamil, and Muslim communities attended with great enthusiasm.
Addressing the gathering, Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated that despite natural disasters and international crises, the present government has succeeded in stabilizing the country’s economy while providing relief to the people. She further noted that Sri Lanka’s political culture has now undergone a positive transformation that is irreversible.
Minister of Women and Child Affairs Saroja Paulraj, addressing the event, stated that a governance system has now been established in the country where all communities are treated equally and the benefits of economic development are shared fairly among all citizens.
Moving away from the traditional method of political gatherings, the event also provided an open platform for members of the Sri Lankan community to directly raise questions and express their views to the Prime Minister and the Minister.
Commenting on the organization of the event, the organizing committee stated that all expenses, including dinner, were borne by the participants themselves. The organizers further remarked that it is unsurprising that opposition groups, accustomed to organizing such events through the misuse of public funds, appear unsettled by this transparent process.
The occasion was attended by the Minister of Women and Child Affairs Saroja Paulraj and Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Nimal Senadheera.
[Prime Minister’s Media Division]
Prime Minister Dr Harini Amarasuriya currently undertaking an official visit to London, United Kingdom, to participate in the 43rd Commonwealth of Learning (COL) Board of Governors Meeting 2026 held a bilateral meeting with the Yvette Cooper MP, Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom ON Wednesday [20]. The Prime Minister was accompanied by Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Nimal Senadheera, along with officials from the Sri Lankan High Commission.
During the meeting, the Prime Minister conveyed Sri Lanka’s appreciation to the United Kingdom for the support extended in the aftermath of Cyclone Ditwa, including ongoing rebuilding and recovery assistance. The Prime Minister also commended the United Kingdom’s support in facilitating increased bilateral trade and exports for Sri Lanka.
The Prime Minister briefed the UK delegation on Sri Lanka’s recent economic developments and policy priorities, the Government’s commitment to advancing human rights and reconciliation, as well as Sri Lanka’s positive growth trajectory.
The two sides also exchanged views on current global geopolitical developments, challenges in the energy sector, and the importance of enhancing regional connectivity and long-term energy security.
Both sides also emphasised the importance of strengthening structured academic mobility frameworks while ensuring fairness, clarity, and integrity within migration systems.
They also reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening bilateral cooperation between the two countries in areas of mutual interest.
[Prime Minister’s Media Division]
PM meets academic experts from the British Council
Gaby Lewis to lead Ireland at T20 World Cup
PM meets Sri Lankan community living in London
Kapila Wijegunawardena to head SLC’s new selection committee
Afghanistan refugee women’s team set for England tour under ECB initiative
DR Congo cancels World Cup training camp over Ebola outbreak
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
Sunday Island 27 December – Headlines
#SundayIsland 17th December – Headlines
Sunday Island – 28th March
Sunday Island Headlines – 21 March
Sunday Island – 21st February – Headlines
-
Features5 days agoSri Lankan Airlines Airbus Scandal and the Death of Kapila Chandrasena and my Brother Rajeewa
-
News6 days agoLanka’s eligibility to draw next IMF tranche of USD 700 mn hinges on ‘restoration of cost-recovery pricing for electricity and fuel’
-
News5 days agoKapila Chandrasena case: GN phone records under court scrutiny
-
News5 days agoRupee slide rekindles 2022 crisis fears as inflation risks mount
-
Features2 days agoOctopus, Leech, and Snake: How Sri Lanka’s banks feast while the nation starves
-
Business5 days agoExpansion of PayPal services in Sri Lanka officially announced
-
Features7 days agoMysterious Death of United Nations Secretary General Hammarskjöld
-
News5 days agoCourt orders further arrests in alleged USD 42 Mn NDB fraud case