Northern Province Chief Minister C.V. Wigneswaran boycotted the opening ceremony of the National Sports Festival 2016 at the Duraiappah Stadium in Jaffna yesterday.

Speaker Karu Jayasuriya was the Chief Guest of the event and Wigneswaran had also been invited.

However, the Northern Province Chief Minister did not take part in the event and his seat was seen vacant.

However, NPC Chairman and several other provincial ministers were present at the event.

The absence of Wigneswaran once again highlighted the growing tension between him and the TNA, and also the differences between him and the government on the other. Several government ministers recently criticized Wigneswaran for leading a protest which opposed 'Sinhalese colonization' and Buddhist temples in the north. Minister S.B. Dissanayake went to the extent of describing Wigneswaran as 'a baby' and an 'empty vessel'.