Sangaree denies he is financed by Southern forces

[TamilNet, Friday, 26 March 2004, 15:26 GMT]
Mr. V.Anandasangaree, the President of the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) and the lead candidate of an Independent Group contesting the Jaffna electoral district in the forthcoming general election, addressing a press conference in Jaffna Friday, denied the charges made some Tamil National Alliance members and the public that he was being financed by forces in the South.

Admitting to having had discussions with Sri Lanka's President, Ms. Chandrika Kumaratunge, and Prime Minister, Mr. Ranil Wickremasinghe, after the dissolution of parliament, Mr. Anandasangaree said, "I cannot reveal the contents of my discussion I have had with [them] till the general election is over."

Mr.Anandasangaree's comments came in response to a question raised by a journalist regarding the challenge made by the lead candidate of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) in the Jaffna district, Mr. Mavai Senathirajah.

Mr.Senathirajah had challenged Mr.Anandasangaree for a public debate over the discussions the latter had with Ms.Kumaratunge and Mr.Wickremasinghe after the dissolution of parliament.

The press briefing was held at the headquarters of the TULF in Jaffna.

Mr.Anandasangaree denied the allegation that some interested parties have been financing his election campaign as baseless and a canard spread by opponents in a planned way." The money we have been using for our election campaign have been sent by our party branches abroad and by our candidates and our supporters," said Mr.Anandasangaree in response to a question.

" In a hung parliament we will not support any major political party blindly. We will be in the opposition if my independent group won some seats," said Mr.Anandasangaree.

Referring to the current crisis within the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam Mr.Anandasangaree said" If there was no split in the TULF I would have been in a position to bring an amicable settlement between the two factions of the LTTE".

He said after the general election he would take steps to strengthen the TULF. He stressed the TULF headquarters in Jaffna would be with him even after the general election.