Karuna was appointed to fill a vacancy created by the rsignation of a JVP MP

The United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) has appointed Vinayagamurthi Muralitharan widely known as Karuna as a national list MP.

In a special gazette notification bearing number 1570/1, the elections commissioner has published the appointment to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of JVP MP Wasantha Samarasinghe.

'Breach of agreement'

He resigned to contest the recently concluded provincial council elections but the party requested UPFA to reappoint Wasantha Samarasinghe as a national list MP.

	JVP says the UPFA has breached the agreement signed between the two parties

JVP propaganda secretary Vijitha Herath told BBC Sandeshaya that the appointment is against the memorandum of understanding agreement signed between the JVP and the UPFA.

The JVP is planning to seek legal redress against the appointment, he added.

Karuna, the leader of the paramilitary turned political party Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Puligal (TMVP), is accused of gross human rights violations including abductions and child recruitment.

Human rights violations

He served a short prison sentence earlier this year in UK for using a forged passport to enter the country.

In his statement to the British courts, Karuna said the government of Sri Lanka has supplied him with a forged passport and provided safe passage for him to leave Sri Lanka. He said it was the secretary of defence, Gotabhaya Rajapakse who gave him the travel documents to leave for the UK.

Karuna's deputy, Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan known as Pillayan, was appointed as the Chief Minister of the eastern province after provincial elections.