The General Secretary of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Mavai Senathirajah was appointed as the new leader of the Illangai Thamil Arasu Katchi (ITAK) in the party convention which started off in Vavuniya today.

He will replace the former leader R. Sampanthan who decided to step down as ITAK leader mainly due to his advanced age. However he will continue as the leader of TNA, umbrella organization for five Tamil political parties. 

Media reports citing the leadership of the party had earlier suggested that a decision on Sampanthan’s continuing leadership of the TNA will be taken when the TNA is registered as a separate political party.

Somasundaram Senathirajah, commonly known as Mavai Senathirajah, is a Member of Parliament from Jaffna District. He is 71 years old.

Mavai was a National List MP for the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) in the Sri Lankan Parliament between 1989 and 1994, and between 1999 and 2000. Each time he had taken over from assassinated TULF MPs (Appapillai Amirthalingam and Neelan Tiruchelvam respectively). From 2000 he has been an elected member of parliament, first from the TULF and then the TNA.