Sumanthiran Eyes Chief Minister’s Post Amid Northern–Eastern Power Struggle
By Our Political Correspondent
Colombo / Trincomalee — Senior Tamil political figure M.A. Sumanthiran is positioning himself to become Chief Minister of a future North Eastern Provincial Council, should long-delayed provincial elections be held, according to multiple political sources familiar with internal manoeuvrings within Tamil political parties.
Sources claim that Mr. Sumanthiran, who failed to secure a seat at the last parliamentary election, is now recalibrating his political strategy by focusing on provincial-level power, particularly the strategically sensitive Northern and Eastern provinces.
At the centre of the unfolding controversy is an intense internal struggle within Tamil political ranks, with Mr. Sumanthiran allegedly attempting to consolidate support from key figures including Manivannan, Chandra Kumar -EPDP and Suresh Pemachandran-EPRLF. According to these sources, this realignment is aimed at marginalising — and ultimately removing — sitting parliamentary leaders Sritharan and Sivagnanam from their leadership roles.
The speculation intensified following a nearly four-hour political bureau meeting of the Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (ITAK) held in Trincomalee a few days ago. While officially described as a routine political bureau discussion, critics within the party and allied groups have questioned whether the meeting functioned, in effect, as a closed-door gathering of Mr. Sumanthiran’s loyalists.
“This was not merely a policy discussion,” said one senior Tamil political activist, speaking on condition of anonymity. “Many see it as groundwork for a leadership reshuffle designed to clear the path for a provincial chief ministerial bid.”
Diplomatic sources based in Colombo have privately acknowledged awareness of these internal dynamics, confirming that discussions around a potential North Eastern Provincial Council — and prospective leadership — are being actively monitored by foreign missions with an interest in post-conflict governance and devolution.
The political tension has now moved beyond party forums and into the legal arena. Sritharan Sivagnanam is reportedly preparing to challenge decisions linked to Mr. Sumanthiran’s actions through judicial intervention, arguing that any attempt to remove elected parliamentary leadership without due process violates both party constitution and democratic norms.
Legal analysts suggest that such a challenge could delay or complicate any leadership transition, especially if courts issue interim orders restraining internal party restructuring.
If litigation proceeds, observers warn that Tamil politics may be heading toward a prolonged period of internal conflict — one that could weaken collective bargaining power at a time when provincial governance, devolution, and reconciliation remain unresolved national questions.
As one veteran Tamil politician remarked, “What we are witnessing is not just a personality clash. It is a battle over who speaks for the Tamil people in the next phase of Sri Lanka’s political transition.”
Whether Mr. Sumanthiran’s reported ambitions will translate into provincial leadership — or collapse under legal and political resistance — remains uncertain. What is clear, however, is that the next chapter of Northern and Eastern politics is likely to be marked by high-stakes drama, both in courtrooms and in party headquarters.