COLOMBO, Sri Lanka — April 11, 2026 — Lawmakers from the Ilankai Tamil Arasu Katchi (ITAK) unanimously agreed to support a no-confidence motion against Power and Energy Minister Kumara Jayakody on Friday, but several members hesitated to take a leading role in publicly confronting the government, according to multiple party sources familiar with internal discussions.
The motion, taken up in Parliament on Friday, prompted an online meeting of ITAK’s political committee and parliamentary group a day earlier to determine the party’s position. Participants agreed without dissent to back the motion and vote against the minister, presenting a united formal stance, a party source who attended the meeting told Jaffna Monitor.
But when it came to assigning speakers to articulate that position during the parliamentary debate, hesitation emerged.
“There was complete agreement on supporting the motion,” said a senior party source who took part in the discussions. “But when the question of who would speak against the minister — and by extension the government — came up, there was clear reluctance.”
According to party officials, speaking responsibilities had already been allocated under an internal rotation system to national list MP Dr. Sathiyalingam and Trincomalee district lawmaker Kugathasan.
However, shortly after the meeting concluded, Kugathasan began contacting fellow members in an apparent effort to transfer the responsibility, the sources said.
His reluctance, insiders suggest, reflects political calculations. Kugathasan has recently drawn praise from government figures, including Chief Government Whip Bimal Ratnayake, who described him as one of the few opposition lawmakers to offer constructive contributions in Parliament rather than direct attacks.
“That perception matters,” another ITAK insider said. “There is an effort to maintain working relationships with the government, and directly attacking it could jeopardize those ties.”
Kugathasan ultimately did not attend the parliamentary session, leaving Dr. Sathiyalingam to present the party’s position alone during the debate. However, he stopped short of a full-throated attack on the government, choosing instead to moderate his remarks, according to political observers.
“This is how the principal Tamil party behaves, assuming the people will simply accept it,” said a political observer and longtime supporter of ITAK, expressing frustration with the party’s conduct.
The no-confidence motion, brought over allegations related to coal procurement failures and an ongoing corruption case against Minister Kumara Jayakody, was defeated by a wide margin, with 153 lawmakers voting against and 49 in favor.
The result was widely anticipated, given the government’s commanding parliamentary majority.
