Muthu Sangaralingam Sellasamy (Tamil: முத்து சங்கரலிங்கம் செல்லச்சாமி; 13 November 1926 – 1 August 2020)[1] was a Sri Lankan trade unionist, politician and former minister of state.
M. S. Sellasamy | |
|---|---|
மு. ச. செல்லச்சாமி | |
| Member of Parliament for Colombo District | |
| In office 1989–1994 | |
| Member of Parliament for National List | |
| In office 2000–2001 | |
| In office 2004–2010 | |
| Member of the Western Provincial Council | |
| In office 1988–1989 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 13 November 1926 |
| Died | August 1, 2020 (aged 93) Bambalapitiya, Colombo, Sri Lanka |
| Political party | Ceylon Workers' Congress |
| Other political affiliations | United People's Freedom Alliance |
| Occupation | Trade unionist |
Early life
Career
Sellasamy was district chairman of the Ceylon Workers' Congress (CWC) before being elected its general-secretary in 1963.[3] He was also president of the Estate Staff Congress, Ceylon Teachers' Congress and Lanka Agriculturists Association.[3]
Sellasamy was the CWC's candidate in Colombo Central at the 1977 parliamentary election but failed to get elected.[4] He was an executive member of the Colombo District Development Council from 1981 to 1988.[3] He contested the 1988 provincial council election and was elected to the Western Provincial Council.[3][5] He was appointed Minister of Health and Economic Infrastructure.[3]
Sellasamy was one of the CWC/UNP alliance's candidates in Colombo District at the 1989 parliamentary election. He was elected and entered Parliament.[6] He was appointed Minister of State for Transport on 18 February 1989.[7] He became Minister of State for Industries on 30 March 1990.[8]
Sellasamy was removed as general-secretary of the CWC in 1994 and subsequently formed the Ceylon National Workers' Congress (CNWC).[9] A long legal battle ensued between Sellasamy and CWC leader Savumiamoorthy Thondaman which prevented the CWC from using its "Cockerel" symbol to contest elections.[10] Following the death of Thondaman in 1999 Sellasamy tried unsuccessfully to gain the leadership of the CWC from Thondaman's grandson Arumugam Thondaman.[11]
Sellasamy was appointed as one of the CNWC/DWC/UCPF/UNP alliance's National List MP's in the Sri Lankan Parliament following the 2000 parliamentary election.[12]
Sellasamy rejoined the CWC in October 2001 as its deputy president.[13][14] He contested the 2001 parliamentary election as one of the United National Front's (UNF) candidates in Colombo District but failed to get elected.[15][16] He was appointed as one of the UNF's National List MP's in the Sri Lankan Parliament following the 2004 parliamentary election.[17] He was appointed Deputy Minister of Posts in January 2007.[18][19]
Sellasamy was a member of the University of Colombo's senate and the National Agricultural Diversification and Settlement Authority (NADSA).[3]
Electoral history
| Election | Constituency | Party | Votes | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 parliamentary[4] | Colombo Central | CWC | 26,964 | Not elected |
| 1989 parliamentary[6] | Colombo Central | CWC | 36,480 | Elected |
| 2001 parliamentary | Colombo Central | UNF | Not elected |