The Eelam People’s Democratic Party (EPDP) led by Minister Douglas Devananda and the Tamil Makkal Vidudhatali Puligal (TMVP) headed by Eastern Province Chief Minister Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan have rejected a UPFA invitation and decided to contest the upcoming Parliamentary elections under their own party symbols, party officials said.
Mr. Devananda told the Sunday Times the decision had been made as party members believed the EPDP’s popularity had dropped in last year’s local government elections where the party contested under the UPFA symbol. He said that in a similar situation the EPDP members had backed President Mahinda Rajapaksa at last month’s presidential elections, but secured only the Kayts electorate and were defeated in all 10 other electorates of the Jaffna district.
Mr Devanada said the party believed that if it contested under the UPFA it would be a disadvantage.
Meanwhile, TMVP leader Chandrakanthan met President Mahinda Rajapaksa and UPFA General Secretary Susil Premjayantha to convey his party’s party decision to contest on its own.
However, the TMVP will field candidates on the UPFA list in the Ampara district.
TMVP spokesman Azad Moulana said: “We believe we can win at least one seat in the Trincomalee and Batticaloa district if we contest on our own,” he said.
Following the decision of the EPDP to contest on its own the UPFA has launched a fresh search for candidates from the north. A group of intellectuals including former Jaffna Universtiy Vice Chancellor P. Balasundarampillai and business leaders were invited for a meeting with the President in Colombo.
Meanwhile the TNA has decided to field fresh candidates for the Jaffna district including former Supreme Court judge C.V. Viknaraja, retired professor C.K. Sittampalam and Former Jaffna Municipal commissioner C.V.K. Sivaganam. |
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