Former Tamil National Alliance (TNA) leader and former Opposition Leader MP R. Sampanthan has passed away at the age of 91.

He has reportedly passed away while receiving treatment at a private hospital in Colombo.

A veteran Tamil politician and prominent figure in country’s main Tamil alliance - Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kadchi (ITAK), his political career spanned six decades, with his first stint in the Sri Lankan parliament starting in 1977.

Sampanthan was the incumbent MP for Trincomalee District and has served in five parliaments since 1977.

A lawyer by profession, Sampanthan led the Tamil National Alliance since 2001. He was a Member of Parliament continuously from 2001 until his death in 2024, and previously served as a MP from 1977 to 1983 and from 1997 to 2000. 

He was the Leader of the Opposition from September 2015 to December 2018.

In April this year, the Parliament had granted the former TNA leader and Trincomalee District MP leave of three months from attending Parliament sessions as he was receiving medical treatment.

Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, MP Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka and TNA MP M.A. Sumanthiran took to ‘X’ (formerly Twitter) to express their condolences on the veteran politician’s passing. 

“We announce with deep regret the passing of Hon. R Sampanthan, Leader of the TNA and MP for Trincomalee a little while ago. Funeral arrangements will be notified later,” Sumanthiran said via the TNA media unit.

“My deepest condolences on the passing of TNA Leader R. Sampanthan. He was an old friend and colleague and we shared many a days discussing various issues. His demise is a loss to Sri Lanka political fraternity and may his family & friends overcome this sad loss,” the SLPP leader posted on ‘X’.

Meanwhile, former army chief Fonseka said: “I express my deepest condolences. Hon. R. Sampanthan was a very senior politician. His loss would be greatly felt.”