Sri Lanka's first Tamil CM announces Cabinet

C V Wigneswaran, the newly elected chief minister of Sri Lanka's Tamil-dominated northern province, on Thursday announced his council of ministers amid a political tussle among his alliance partners over ministership.

The four ministers were named after a serious tussle among the five constituent parties which threatened the unity of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA).

The four ministerial positions have gone to Eelam People's Liberation Front (EPRLF), Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (ITAK) and Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization (TELO).

The Tamil coalition party won 30 seats of the 38-member Council at the elections held on September 21.

P Aingaranesan was appointed the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Water Supply and Environment.

T Kurukularajah has been appointed as the Minister of Education and Cultural Affairs.

While P Sathyalingam was given the Health portfolio, P Deniswaran was inducted as the Minister of Fisheries, Transport and Rural Development.

C V Kandiah Sivagnanam was appointed as the Chairman of the Northern Provincial Council while Antony Jeganathan was appointed as Vice Chairman.

The new ministers and the councillors of the Council are to take their oaths tomorrow in front of the Chief Minister in Jaffna.

Wigneswaran said it was difficult to accommodate all members of the alliance representing all five districts in the north.

The TNA councillors are to be given oaths tomorrow by Wigneswaran.

The hardline Tamil lobby was unhappy with the chief minister for taking his oaths before President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

The differences within the TNA since the victory saw some of the constituent party leaders expressing disappointment that some of the district were having a raw deal.

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