The rift between Government Minister Vinayagamurthi Muralitharan (Karuna Amman) and Eastern Province Chief Minister Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan alias Pillayan continues with Minister Muralitharan now saying the Chief Minister must be removed from his post and be replaced by a more suitable person.

Speaking to Daily Mirror `Hot Seat` the Minister for National Integration said that in his opinion people like the incumbent Batticaloa Mayor Sivageetha Prabakaran are more suitable to the post than Mr. Chandrakanthan who was once his ally in the LTTE and later the TMVP.

Minister Muralitharan accused Pillayan of misleading and misguiding some people behind the scenes resulting in him getting support from the government and subsequently being appointed as the Chief Minister for the Eastern Province, a move which Minister Muralitharan said he had also initially supported but now regrets.

After getting power he (Pillayan) did a lot of bad things in those areas. We had a good chance to develop those areas if he coordinated with us. He wants police powers for the East. Why does he need that? If he asked for money to develop those areas (which were once under LTTE control) the President would agree and give the money, Minister Muralitharan told Daily Mirror.

The Minister also accused Pillayan of spreading racism among the Tamil community in the Eastern province adding that the government is now not keen on working with the Pillayan administration until there is a drastic change in the way Pillayan thinks and operates.

We have to select a proper person for that post (Chief Minister) and I openly say that. It should be an educated person who has good leadership and character. When you compare with all other Chief Ministers in the country they are well educated and have an influence among the communities, Minister Muralitharan said.

Asked who he feels is then suitable for the post in the East Minister Muralitharan responded by saying there are many who could replace Pillayan including the incumbent Batticaloa Mayor who he termed as being well educated and doing a good job for the province as a Mayor.

Repeated attempts to reach Mr. Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan for a response to the views expressed by Minister Muralitharan were futile.