New TNA MP for Ampaa'rai district sworn in

[TamilNet, Friday, 12 June 2009, 13:15 GMT]
Dr.Thomas Thangathurai William Friday was sworn in as new Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Ampaa'rai district parliamentarian in parliament before the Speaker Mr.W.M.J.Lokkubandara. He fills the vacancy created with the demise of Mr.Kanagasabai Pathmanathan who passed away in Mathurai in South India after a brief illness. The new parliamentarian hails from Paa'ndiruppu in Ampaa'rai district and came second in the list of TNA in the 2004 general election held under proportionate preferential system.

Meanwhile the parliament Friday approved the leave applications made on behalf of three TNA parliamentarians Messrs S.Kajendran (Jaffna district), Selvam Adaikalanathan (Vanni district) and S.Jeyananthamoorthy (Batticaloa district) who were absent for the last three months. Applications sought the permission of the House to extend their leave for another three months. The fourth TNA parliamentarian Ms Pathmini Sithambaranathan was present Friday when the parliament resumed its sittings Friday.

The Speaker Friday said medical certificates had been submitted in support of leave applications tendered by three MPs. Hence the House agreed to grant further leave to them.

The parliament on Wednesday postponed the decision on granting further leave for the four TNA parliamentarians when a fellow TNA MP submitted leave applications on behalf of them, due to opposition by the government parliamentarians, sources said.