The chief of Sri Lanka's main Tamil party has been elected unopposed as the leader of opposition in the parliament.<br/>The Speaker of the newly constituted parliament today announced that Mr R Sampanthan has been elected for the politically significant post. Mr Sampanthan's Tamil National Alliance emerged as the third largest party in the parliament with 16 seats. <br/><br/>However, since the two main parties are forming a coalition national government, TNA is the largest recognized opposition formation in the parliament.<br/><br/>The Leader of opposition plays a significant role in Sri Lanka as he is the member of Constitutional Council that appoints all the chiefs and members of all independent commissions and he is consulted in the appointment of key functionaries like the Attorney General and the Inspector General of Police. Opposition leader also plays a key role in running of the parliament and is consulted by the Speaker in this role.<br/><br/>Appapillai Amirthalingam of the Tamil United Liberation Front was the first and last Tamil leader to hold this post. He was the leader of opposition from 1977 to 1983, when ethnic violence drove him out of the country for some time.<br/><br/>78 year old Mr R Sampanthan is a widely respected moderate Tamil leader who earlier led his party to victory at the Northern Provincial Council elections in 2013. He has been demanding devolution of power to the province under the Constitution's 13th Amendment that came into existence as a result of India-Sri Lanka Accord of 1987.