Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (ITAK) parliamentarian Shanakiyan Rajaputhiran Rasamanickam has criticised the National People’s Power (NPP) party, accusing it of lacking consistent principles after it supported the candidate from the paramilitary Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP) in the Vakarai Pradeshiya Sabha council vote.
"Today’s events at the Vakarai council have made it clear that the NPP lacks consistent principles or policies," Rasamanickam said in a post on X (formerly Twitter). "NPP members supported the candidate from Pillayan’s TMVP helping them secure the Chairman position defeating the ITAK candidate."
The TMVP, led by Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan (commonly known as Pillayan), is a paramilitary party that has long faced accusations of human rights abuses. Pillayan himself is currently being held in prison after being arrested over the 2006 abduction and disappearance of former Vice-Chancellor of the Eastern University, Prof. Subramaniam Raveendranath.
The former Eastern Province Chief Minister is also accused of being involved in the deadly Easter Sunday attacks that killed hundreds in 2019.