Tamil groups discuss election boycott

[TamilNet, Saturday, 20 December 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The four Tamil party meeting in Jaffna town to explore the possibility of all the Tamil parties jointly boycotting the local government elections ended on an inconclusive note this afternoon as the EPDP and the PLOTE were reluctant to give a clear commitment to the others said Tamil party sources in Jaffna.

The TULF representative Pon Sivapalan told the others at the meeting that his party had no reservations about or conditions for a general boycott.

The meeting, however, did not completely rule out a boycott but decided to wait until the arrival of the TELO general secretary Sivajilingam later in the afternoon today Sivajilingam and a TELO team were earlier scheduled to fly to Jaffna last week.

Sources said that the TELO is not a key factor in the elections but the EPDP and the PLOTE made it an excuse today to buy more time to consider the matter with their cadres and second level leaders.

The four parties were expected to meet again around 4.30 p.m. But sources in Jaffna said that the Lion Air flight bringing the TELO leaders has got delayed this afternoon.

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