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‘Liberated Tamil Tigers’ eye mainstream politics as NE parties submit nominations
Former LTTE group leaders, fighters and war-widows, along with veteran politicians, have handed over nominations to contest elections in the Northern (NP) and Eastern Provinces (EP).
Former LTTE cadres hold discussions with TNA leader R. Sampanthan and others
The Tamil National Alliance (TNA), Eelam People’s Democratic Party (EPDP), the United National Party (UNP) and the Jana Setha Peramuna (JSP) are among the parties which handed over their Nominations to some of the Districts in the two Provinces by Friday.
With nominations set to close tomorrow, more parties and independent groups, including a group led by Northern Provincial Council (PC) member Anandhi Sasitharan, wife of former LTTE political wing leader for Trincomalee, Elilan who has been declared missing.
Ms Sasitharan told the Sunday Times that she had written to TNA Leader R. Sampanthan, seeking nominations from the party for the Jaffna District, but did not receive a response.
“I will be fielding an independent group which includes war-widows and persons affected by the conflict. We will contest only in the Jaffna District,” she said.
However, TNA spokesman Suresh Premachandran told the Sunday Times that she had written only to Mr Sampanthan, but not to ITAK General Secretary Mavai Senathiraja. “She is at liberty to contest from any district. We cannot stop her,” he added.
An independent group led by a former editor of a Tamil newspaper, Nadeshapillai Vithiyadharan, and comprising former LTTE cadres who have undergone rehabilitation, will contest in the Jaffna and Vanni Districts. This was after they were turned down by the TNA.
Mr. Vithiyadharan said they met Mr. Sampanthan to seek nominations under the TNA, but were turned down on the grounds of complaints against some of their members working with Military Intelligence.
The Sunday Times learns that the independent group has contacted former LTTE cadres’ wives to be fielded as candidates from the Jaffna and Vanni Districts.
However, Mr. Premachandran said this was not the proper time to accommodate former LTTE cadres in the nomination list, though they had no objections to their returning to the democratic process.
“Though I was once an LTTE leader, we accepted the Indo-Lanka Peace Accord, contested the PC elections and entered mainstream democratic politics,” he said.
“There is also another issue where communal minded parties in the South are conducting a campaign that the TNA was a front organisation of the former LTTE,” he said.
The Sunday Times learns that former LTTE members who sought nominations were prominent LTTE cadres. People’s Liberation Organization of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE) Leader, Dharmalingam Siddarthan, former MPs M.A. Sumanthiran, Mavai Senadhiraja, Suresh Premachandran and M. Sarvanabavan, and N. Srikantha who earlier served as an MP, are contesting through the TNA.
The UNP is led by former Deputy Minister Vijayakala Maheshwaran, while the EPDP led by Douglas Devananda will be contesting on its own, instead of under the UPFA. Two former EPDP MPs Sandrakumar Murugesu and Silvesthri Alantin will also contest from the EPDP.
The UPFA list led by PC member Angajan Ramanathan, is due to hand over its nominations tomorrow.
In the Vanni District, the TNA has three former MPs, Selvam Adaikalanathan, Vino Noharathalingam and Sivashakthi Anandan. The All Ceylon People’s Party Leader Rishard Bathiudeen is set to contest the Vanni District under the UNP.
In the EP, TNA Leader R. Sampanthan and a former MP, A. Thurairatnasingham is contesting from the Trincomalee District, while the UPFA and the UNP will hand over their Nominations for the District on Monday.
The TNA on Friday also handed over its nominations for the Batticaloa District, comprising former MPs Pon. Selvarasa, C. Yogeswaran, P. Ariyanenthiran, G. Soundrarajan and K. Karunakaram.
The UNP and UPFA lists were being finalised over the weekend. Former EP Chief Minister Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan, M.L.A.M. Hisbullah and former minister Basheer Cegu Dawood are due to contest from the UPFA.
The UPFA, TNA and the UNP will hand over their nominations for the Digamadulla (Ampara) District tomorrow. Former MPs Sarath Weerasekara, Sriyani Wijewickrema, P.H. Piyasena and PC opposition leader Wimalaweera Dissanayaka are to contest on the UPFA ticket, while the UNP will field Daya Gamage and P. Dayaratna among others.