Snag over TNA MP's resignation removed

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 12 May 2004, 15:54 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Parliament Secretary General, Ms Priyani Wijesekara, said Wednesday she had forwarded the resignation letter of Batticaloa district Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian, Mr. Kingsely Rasanayakam, to the Commissioner of Elections for necessary action, after Mr. Rasanayakam tendered his resignation letter direct to her, parliamentary sources said.

Mr. Rasanayakam is one of the four Tamil National Alliance parliamentarians elected from the Batticaloa electoral district in the April 2 poll.

In the wake of the changes in eastern politics following the ouster of the 'Karuna' group from the Batticaloa-Amparai districts, Mr. Rasanayakam sent his resignation letter through the Secretary of the Ilankai Thamil Arasu Katchchi (ITAK) to the Secretary General of parliament, sources said.

Ms. Wijesekara did not accept his resignation letter at the first instance, saying he had not handed over it personally to her, sources said.

Following the handing over of the letter by Mr. Rasanayakam personally, the Secretary General has accepted his resignation, paving way for another candidate from the TNA to be appointed in his place before parliament meets on May 18 to elect Deputy Speaker and Chairman of Committees, parliamentary sources said.

Though there was public speculation about some names, the TNA has not offically announced who will replace Mr. Rasanayakam.