Lanka's Northern Province CM praises India

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka's Northern Province Chief Minister C V Vigneswaran has praised India for its efforts in securing the provincial council elections in his country.

"After 30 years of war and 4 years of peace, we were able to gain an election for the north. India's attention was important there," newly elected Vigneswaran told reporters after meeting a European Union delegation yesterday.

73-year-old Vigneswaran, a former Supreme Court judge, became the chief minister following the landslide victory of the country's main Tamil party, Tamil National Alliance, at the elections held on September 21.

He was explaining India's assistance in conducting polls in his country. He also spoke on the invitation extended to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to visit the Tamil-dominated north, a former stronghold of the LTTE.

When asked if his Jaffna invitation was an indirect invite for Singh to attend the Commonwealth Summit here later this month, Vigneswaran replied in the negative.

He said he was invited by visiting External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid to travel to New Delhi.

"My invitation to the prime minister was in gratitude", Vigneswaran stressed.

Singh's decision to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting is being eagerly awaited here while critics contend that any decision to stay away would be an encouragement to Tamil separatism in the island.