Former Member of Parliament M.A. Sumanthiran has fired back at President Anura Kumara Dissanayake over what he called veiled threats and an alarming display of executive arrogance. The senior Tamil politician strongly objected to recent statements made by the President, in which he cited his two-thirds majority in Parliament and executive authority when discussing control over provincial governance.
In a sharp critique, Sumanthiran, who is also the General Secretary of the Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (ITAK), accused the President of weaponizing his political power in an attempt to intimidate regional actors. “President Anura Kumara Dissanayake is threatening that he has 2/3 of the Parliament. He is also referring to the executive powers he possesses. It is a corrupt use of power,” Sumanthiran asserted.
The comments came in response to a public warning issued by the President, who recently stated that any move to override or usurp the people’s mandate in local government institutions would be met with strict measures. Asserting his constitutional authority, the President reminded detractors that he enjoys a two-thirds majority in Parliament—a statement that Sumanthiran believes crosses the line into authoritarian posturing.
Sumanthiran also took issue with the President’s political projections in the north, particularly in Jaffna, casting doubt on his confidence in securing a majority there. He criticized what he sees as a political miscalculation and questioned the legitimacy of the President’s claims to widespread support in Tamil-majority regions.
The tension underscores growing friction between the central government and minority political parties, especially on matters of local autonomy and decentralization. With the President invoking the full weight of his executive mandate, critics warn that such rhetoric risks deepening mistrust and undermining democratic consensus-building particularly in areas with long histories of political marginalization.
