The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) will embark on a visit to India for talks with state officials on an invitation extended by the Indian Government, and are scheduled to leave the island tonight.
A delegation of TNA parliamentarians led by its leader R. Sampanthan, is expected to meet Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress President Sonia Gandhi and External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid among others, during the visit.
The main focus of the talks will be the proposed amendments to the 13th Amendment of the Constitution, among other political developments in the island.
Several political parties, including government allies, had recently raised strong objections to the 13th Amendment and wanted it repealed.
The government subsequently announced certain amendments to it while India has maintained that it wants the 13th Amendment to remain in its current form and has raised concerns over any attempt to change it.
The Indian government is to now seek the views of the Tamil National Alliance on the government announcement before deciding on its next course of action.
- With excerpts from Xinhua
