Muslim presidential candidate supports TNA, SLMC decision

[TamilNet, Friday, 22 January 2010, 04:50 GMT]
M. S. Iliyas, former Jaffna parliamentarian and one of the presidential candidates, said that he welcomed Tamil National Alliance (TNA) and Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) decision to defeat Mahinda Rajapaksa by supporting Sarath Fonseka in the presidential election, in a press meet held Thursday in Jaffna Veerasingham Hall. Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims and various political parties of the country have decided to bring in a change of government despite their differences, he added.

“I decided to contest so that I could help the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and I do not have a second opinion in sending Rajapaksa family home”, Iliyas said.

“I too was displaced from Jaffna and now I live in Puththa’lam,” he said.

“I cannot openly support Sarath Fonseka according election regulations but unofficially I wish to support him in the presidential election,” he added.

“I believe that a right atmosphere is in the offing to find a solution to the ethnic issue,” Iliyas further said.