The hierarchy of the Sri Lankan Tamil political party Ilankai Thamil Arasu Katchi(ITAK) has devised a three – phased strategy to deal with the problem caused by the Northern Province Chief Minister Canagasabapathy Viswalingam Wigneswaran.

A three member delegation comprising Leader of the Opposition and Tamil National Alliance(TNA) leader R.Sampanthan , the ITAK President and Jaffna district MP “Maavai” Senathirajah ITAK secretary and Eastern Provincial council minister Thurairajasingham will meet chief minister Wigneswaran shortly and seek to iron out differences with him. The envisaged meeting is the first stage of the proposed three phased political strategy.

Former Supreme court judge C.V.Wigneswaran was nominated by the ITAK as the chief ministerial candidate of the TNA for the Northern provincial council elections of September 2013. The ITAK is the chief constituent of the four party TNA. Subsequently the other TNA constituents endorsed Wigneswaran’s candidacy and declared him to be the common candidate of the TNA. The TNA won 30 of 38 seats at the provincial poll with Wigneswaran topping with over 132,000 preferences. CV Wigneswaran was sworn in as the first Northern province chief minister in October 2013.

Wigneswaran however has in recent times struck out on an errant course with an agenda of his own that has been at variance with the TNA in general and the ITAK in particular. Political observers have noted that Wigneswaran acquired new found political courage after the defeat of Mahinda Rajapaksa at the Presidential elections of Jan 8 2015. President Maithripala Sirisena replaced Northern Governor Gen. Chandrasiri with ex – diplomat HMGS Palihakkara. Earlier the chief minister and Governor had been at loggerheads with each other with Wigneswaran complaining that Chandrasiri was not allowing him to administer the province freely.

After Chandrasiri’s removal the chief minister began embarking on an “errant” political course that was suspected of being influenced by extremist elements in the Global Tamil Diaspora. The chief minister defied the ITAK leadership by presenting two resolutions in the Northern council that aroused political controversy. One called for a UN probe into the alleged genocide of Tamils in Sri Lanka and the other demanded an international and not domestic investigation into the alleged acts of war crime perpetrated by the Colombo Govt during the final phase of the war. Both resolutions embarrassed the ITAK/TNA hierarchy greatly.

Wigneswaran has also been making public utterances critical of the TNA leadership and some MP’s. He has made unsubstantiated charges of corruption against “unnamed” MP’s of the TNA.

Wigneswaran also refused to campaign for the TNA at the Parliamentary election saying he was non – partisan. Adding insult to injury the chief minister issued two public statements with a “veiled appeal” that people should vote for the Tamil National Peoples Front(TNPF) The TNPF though strongly backed by the tiger and pro-tiger Diaspora fared miserably at the elections.

The controversial conduct of Wigneswaran especially his overt refusal to canvass for TNA and covert support extended to the TNPF infuriated a large number of TNA parliamentarians and provincial councillors. They demanded that action should be taken immediately against Wigneswaran. Some even urged his removal as chief minister.

The TNA hierarchy however refused to be stampeded into action and analysed the situation in depth. Thereafter a three phase strategy has been devised to deal with Wignswaran’s indiscipline.

In the first stage the top trio of Sampanthan, Senathirajah and Thurairajasingham will meet Wigneswaran in person and enter into a detailed discussion. Efforts will be made during these discussions to make Wigneswaran recognize his mistakes and repent. If that happens Wigneswaran will be let off with a gentle admonition. A statement would be issued saying there are no differences within the TNA and blame the media and “Anti’Tamil traitors” for trying to cause divisions.

If these discussions do not bear fruit or if Wigneswaran subsequently renegades on his Good behavious pledge , the second phase of the strategy would come into play. Plans would be drawn up to re-structure the Northern Provincial administration and re-invigorate it. The chief minister would be “requested” by the ITAK hierarchy to resign his office “Voluntarily”. It would be stated that Wigneswaran had agreed to serve as chief minister for only two years and that he was now quiiting his post on his own. Wigneswaran would be given a rousing farewell and retired to pasture amiably without having to lose face.

If Wigneswaran is not amenable to this “golden handshake”proposa the third phase of the strategy would come into play. Stern action would be taken to remove him from his post. A no confidence motion would be passed by TNA provincial councillors against the chief minister who would be asked to resign.A resolution urging Governor Palihakkara to recommend the chief minister’s removal to President Sirisena would also be made. Simultaneously the ITAK would hold a disciplinary inquiry against Wigneswaran and pass strictures against him.

Though the ex – supreme court judge can always resist his removal from office by resorting to courts the ITAK hierarchy feels that Wigneswaran would not enter ino an undignified and protracted legal wrangle. The hierarchy is optimistic that Wigneswaran would be enlightened enough to see the error of his ways and engage in a course correction that would be mutually beneficial to both the party as well as himself.

It is learnt that a meeting between the chief minister and leadership of the ITAK/TNA will take place shortly.