The issue of Northern Chief Minister taking oaths before President Mahinda Rajapaksa has caused disagreements within the TNA, recently elected TNA candidate and PLOTE leader, Dharmalingam Siddarthan, told BBC Tamil.
Siddharthan said that while the party was divided over the issue of taking oaths, there was more support for the argument that the oaths must not be taken before Rajapaksa since the people of the North cast a vote against Rajapaksa’s government.
However, according to Siddharthan, party leader Sampanthan claimed that the international community and others had asked that the TNA work towards a smooth beginning for the Northern Provincial Council.
Siddharthan said that he worried that the people would perceive this move as surrender to the Sri Lankan government.