Kingsley Rasanayagam
Encyclopedia
Kingsley Rasanayagam was a Sri Lankan Tamil politician
and former Member of Parliament
. In 2004 Rasanayagam was selected by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
(LTTE) as a Tamil National Alliance
(TNA) parliamentary candidate. He represented the Batticaloa
multi-member electoral district
for the TNA in the Sri Lankan Parliament, for a short period of time between April 2004
and May 2004. In May 2004, he was pressured to resign, by the LTTE because of his close relationship with former LTTE Eastern Province leader Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan alias Karuna Amman. LTTE chief Velupillai Prabhakaran
feared that he would become a patron to the political party registered by Karuna Amman, Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP).
. He was a Tamil Christian (Methodist). His father was a schoolmaster when he moved to the Batticaloa town at Kingsly's younger age.
aka Federal Party since his early days. He started playing a prominent role as a member of the Batticaloa citizens committee after 1983. He was a close associate of senior LTTE leader Kasi Anandan by the Indian Peace Keeping Force
period during 1987-90. He resigned from Peoples' Bank and began working with the Tamils Rehabilitation Organisation
. After that, he became a trusted confidant of Karuna Amman. With the help of Amman, Rasanayagam contested in 2004 Parliamentary elections and won. Because TNA salewarts like Joseph Pararajasingham
and Pakkiyaselvam Ariyanethiran, failed to get selected in the election, LTTE pressurized Rasanayagam to resign. He resigned from his parliamentary seat in May 2004.
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
and former Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
. In 2004 Rasanayagam was selected by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam was a separatist militant organization formerly based in northern Sri Lanka. Founded in May 1976 by Vellupillai Prabhakaran, it waged a violent secessionist and nationalist campaign to create an independent state in the north and east of Sri Lanka for Tamil...
(LTTE) as a Tamil National Alliance
Tamil National Alliance
The Tamil National Alliance is a powerful minority Sri Lankan Tamil political alliance in Sri Lanka. It was formed as an amalgamation of moderate Tamil parties as well as number of former rebel groups...
(TNA) parliamentary candidate. He represented the Batticaloa
Batticaloa Electoral District
Batticaloa Electoral District is one of the 22 multi-member electoral districts of Sri Lanka created by the 1978 Constitution of Sri Lanka. The district is conterminous with the administrative district of Batticaloa in the Eastern province...
multi-member electoral district
Electoral districts in Sri Lanka
The 1978 Constitution of Sri Lanka provides for the election of members of Parliament from 22 multi-member electoral districts through the proportional representation electoral system....
for the TNA in the Sri Lankan Parliament, for a short period of time between April 2004
Sri Lankan parliamentary election, 2004
Parliamentary elections were held in Sri Lanka on 2 April 2004. The ruling United National Party of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe was defeated, winning only eighty two seats in the 225-member Sri Lankan parliament. The opposition United People's Freedom Alliance won 105 seats...
and May 2004. In May 2004, he was pressured to resign, by the LTTE because of his close relationship with former LTTE Eastern Province leader Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan alias Karuna Amman. LTTE chief Velupillai Prabhakaran
Velupillai Prabhakaran
Thiruvenkadam Velupillai Prabhakaran was the founder and leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam , a militant organization that sought to create an independent Tamil state in the north and east of Sri Lanka...
feared that he would become a patron to the political party registered by Karuna Amman, Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP).
Early life
Kingsley Rasanayagam was born in Kallaru, BatticaloaBatticaloa
Batticaloa is a city in the Eastern province of Sri Lanka. It is the seat of the Eastern University of Sri Lanka. It is on the east coast, south by south east of Trincomalee, and is situated on an island.-Etymology:...
. He was a Tamil Christian (Methodist). His father was a schoolmaster when he moved to the Batticaloa town at Kingsly's younger age.
Politics
Rasanayagam was involved in Illankai Tamil Arasu KachchiIllankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi
Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi is a Sri Lankan political party which represents the Sri Lankan Tamil ethnic minority in the country. It was originally formed in 1949 as breakaway faction of the All Ceylon Tamil Congress...
aka Federal Party since his early days. He started playing a prominent role as a member of the Batticaloa citizens committee after 1983. He was a close associate of senior LTTE leader Kasi Anandan by the Indian Peace Keeping Force
Indian Peace Keeping Force
Indian Peace Keeping Force was the Indian military contingent performing a peacekeeping operation in Sri Lanka between 1987 and 1990...
period during 1987-90. He resigned from Peoples' Bank and began working with the Tamils Rehabilitation Organisation
Tamils Rehabilitation Organisation
The Tamils Rehabilitation Organisation was established in 1985 in Tamil Nadu in southeastern India by Tamil refugees fleeing the violence in North and East Sri Lanka. Its operation to provide relief to the refugees in India continued until 1987...
. After that, he became a trusted confidant of Karuna Amman. With the help of Amman, Rasanayagam contested in 2004 Parliamentary elections and won. Because TNA salewarts like Joseph Pararajasingham
Joseph Pararajasingham
Joseph Pararajasingham was a Sri Lankan Member of Parliament and a poet who was known for his pro-Tamil Tiger views and advocacy of human rights...
and Pakkiyaselvam Ariyanethiran, failed to get selected in the election, LTTE pressurized Rasanayagam to resign. He resigned from his parliamentary seat in May 2004.