Tamil parties divided

Realignment of the various Tamil groupings in the North and East, yet to take shape. As of now, it is still not clear, whether the local government elections in the North and East would be a four cornered or a five cornered fight.R. Sampanthan – A political Evangelist, said to be, ‘a do gooder’

Yesterday, TELO moved hectically to ditch the Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kadchi (ITAK) and go on a separate way. But, now it is learnt that pressure has been brought to bear on the agitating rebel leaders of the TELO and they now harps that a final decision would be taken only by the morning of, day after tomorrow.

Yesterday, TELO leader Selvam Adaikalanathan MP and M.A. Sumanthiran, Deputy General Secretary of ITAK and the spokesman of the TNA, met for nearly two hours and explored ways and means of working together, as a coalition unit, within the framework of Tamil National Alliance (TNA).

Also, leader of the Opposition and the leader of the Tamil National Alliance, R.Sampanthan is expected to meet leaders of the warring factions within the TNA on the 9th to patch up their differences and come to an amicable settlement to work as a unified political team within TNA.

It is learnt that Sampanthan has contacted PLOTE Leader D. Sitharthan MP as well as N.Sri Kantha, Secretary General of TELO over the telephone and told them that all three parties could sit together and thrash out contentious issues and come to an amicable settlement.

‘Asian Tribune’ learnt that, it was only on the direction of Sampanthan, the TNA leader, Sumanthiran held discussion with Selvam Adaikalanathan.

Therefore, the final decision of TNA remaining intact, would become clear only by day after tomorrow.

In the meantime, EPDP led by Douglas Devananda has so far paid deposits for their candidates to contest in 18 Pradesha Sabah’s in the Jaffna Peninsula. It is learnt EPDP is making arrangement to pay deposits for its intended candidates, who would contest in Jaffna Municipality too in a day or two.’

This clearly shows that EPDP’s intention of contesting alone without any tie-ups with any other groups. But doubts are being floated that, EPDP might contest in other parts of the country by coalescing with UPFA.

Already, EPRLF leader Suresh Premachandran has entered into a MOU with V.Anandasangaree, Leader of the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF). They have agreed to contest in the TULF’s ‘Rising Sun’ symbol in the forthcoming local government elections.

Yesterday, an official delegation from TELO went and met with Anandasangaree and the TULF representatives and discussed matters regarding aligning with them after deciding to part company with the ITAK.

This afternoon , ‘Asian Tribune’ learnt TELO Secretary General N.Sri Kantha met with Anandasangaree and briefed him of their latest development and told that they would arrive at a conclusion by day after tomorrow.

Furthermore, ‘Asian Tribune’ learnt that Mrs. Ananthy Sasitharan, a Northern Provincial Councilor and also Minister of Women’s Affairs, Rehabilitation, Social Services, Cooperatives, Food Supply & Distribution, Industries and Enterprise Promotion and Trade & Commerce, who is being disciplined by the ITAK, is expected to align herself with the TULF in the local government elections. ‘Asian Tribune,’ also learnt that she has already approached TUF leader Anandasangaree and requested to allocate seats for her supporters in the local government elections.

The other grouping is the one under the leadership of former MP Kajendrakumar of the All Ceylon Tamil Congress.

Along with ACTC, Tamils National People’s Front, and Equal Rights Party, have formally announced of the formation of the Tamil National Council. It is learnt that Northern Provincial Council Chief Minister C.V. Vigneswaran has distanced himself from the newly organized Tamil National Council.

So far, there remains a lull in the activities of the United National Party in the Jaffna Peninsula. Though UNP is represented by Ms. Vijayakala Maheswaran, who is also the State Minister of Child Affairs, but so far no political activities reported.

The so called Tamil national leaders in the Jaffna peninsula said that they are not concerned about Sri Lanka Freedom Party, Sri Lanka Pothu Jana Perumuna and JVP contesting in the local government elections in the Peninsula. Some of the Tamil leaders when contacted told that, ‘these so called national parties are no match to us’ and they said that they don’t even bother them as their opponents. They dismissed them and said that none of the representatives of the Sinhalese led parties in the North are of any match to them.

In the meantime, the SLFP nominated MP Angkajan Ramanathan recently opened up a SLFP office in Thalayadi, in the Point Pedro East.

Sources said Angkajan Ramanathan is taking steps to bring his father Ramaathan into politics by nominating him as a SLFP candidate, either for Vadamaradchy South West or to Point Pedro Pradesha Sabah. (Asian Tribune)