Sathiyalingam is the son of S. Pathmanathan, a communist who contested the 1970 parliamentary election in Vavuniya.

[11][12] Starting in late 2016, several charges of irregular practices were levelled against the four provincial ministers for Northern Province.

[14][15] In June 2017 the NPC was plunged into chaos after Chief Minister Vigneswaran asked P. Ayngaranesan and T. Kurukularajah to resign after the three-member committee found evidence to substantiate charges of corruption, abuse of power and misuse of funds levelled against the two ministers.

[18][19] On 14 June 2017 a motion of no confidence against Vigneswaran was handed to Governor Reginald Cooray by several ITAK and opposition members of the NPC.

[24][25][26] ITAK provincial councillors met on 6 August 2017 and decided not to take any ministerial positions in Vigneswaran's administration.