Speaker Karu Jayasuriya announced that the Tamil National Alliance leader R Sambandan has been recognized as the Opposition Leader. Mr. Rajavarodiam Sambandan was born on the 5th of February 1933. He was educated at St. Patrick college, Jaffna, St. Anne’s college Kurunegala, St. Josephs College, Trincomalee and St. Sebastian College, Moratuwa. He then entered the law college and became an attorney at Law. He joined the Illangai Tamil Arusu in 1956. In 1977, he won the Trincomalee seat in the general election by contesting under the Tamil United Liberation Front. In 1983, he resigned from his parliamentary post along with several MPs. In 2001 he formed the Tamil National alliance and became its leader then he returned to the parliament by winning seat in the Trincomalee district. Mr. Sambandan has been successful in retaining his parliamentary seat in the general elections conducted in 2004, 2010 and 2015.