Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (ITAK) has taken control of the Batticaloa Municipal Council, with Sivam Pakkiyanathan elected as Mayor today in a vote backed by Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) councillors.
Batticaloa District MP Shanakiyan Rasamanickam confirmed the result via a post on ‘X’, noting that Pakkiyanathan’s victory was made possible through the SJB’s support.
Meanwhile, MP Rasamanickam also claimed that the National People’s Power (NPP) government had resorted to unconventional moves in a bid to secure the council, reportedly attempting to form an alliance with former MP Pillayan’s Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP) to push their candidate.