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LTTE bans Tamils for main parties in NE
The LTTE has imposed a ban on Tamil candidates contesting the forthcoming general elections on the UNF or UPFA tickets in the North and East. The Sunday Times learns that as a result of the 'directive' from the LTTE, the main national political parties are finding it difficult to get Tamil candidates to contest in the Northern and Eastern provinces from where 31 members will be returned to Parliament.

Political sources said the LTTE move was apparently intended at getting the maximum number of seats for the Tamil National Alliance, which the LTTE is fully and openly backing. LTTE's Political wing leader S. P. Thamilselvan at a meeting in Kilinochchi with TNA leaders and prospective candidates said they should get the maximum number of seats as this might be the last opportunity to win the demands of the Tamil people through parliament.

In view of the situation, the UNF will not be contesting in the Jaffna district where former Hindu Cultural Affairs Minister T.Maheshwaran contested the elections in 2001. He has been included in the UNF Colombo district list.

Meanwhile, the TNA has included political activists who worked closely with the LTTE in its nomination lists. Among them are: Pongu Thamil chief organiser's wife, Padmini Sithamparanathan who is also an LTTE women's wing activist, Former Jaffna Municipal Commissioner C.V.K. Sivagnanam who was nominated by the LTTE for the 1987 interim administration and S. Solomon Cyril, President of the National Reawakening Movement, a front organisation of the LTTE.

In a related development TULF President V. Anandasangaree who is involved in a major battle within the party told The Sunday Times he and his supporters would be contesting the elections as an independent group in the Jaffna district.

EPDP leader Douglas Devananda said they would be contesting in the Jaffna, Batticaloa and Trincomalee districts while PLOTE leader D.Siddarthan said his Democratic People's Liberation Front would be contesting in the Wanni and Batticaloa districts.
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