Sri Lanka ruling coalition split over northern election

Colombo: A key election in Sri Lanka`s northern province, which is being internationally viewed as a major reconciliation step with the Tamil minority, appears to have caused a rift in the ruling coalition.

Wimal Weerawansa, the minister of Housing and the leader of the nationalist Freedom Front (NFF) is to hold its May Day rally separately from the ruling United People`s Freedom Alliance`s main rally. "We are opposed to northern election being held as it would lead to the creation of a separate state (Tamil)", Weerawansa said. "We want to create an awareness on the dangers posed by the setting up of the northern provincial council", Weerawansa added. President Mahinda Rajapaksa has vowed to hold the northern election in September. However the Sinhala majority nationalist groups are opposing the move, saying the Tamil National Alliance would further their separatist agenda after winning the election. PTI