TNA leaders to meet in Colombo over election strategy

[TamilNet, Monday, 09 February 2004, 18:30 GMT]
Leaders of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) are scheduled to meet Tuesday evening at the Colombo office of the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) to work out a common election agenda to field candidates at the forthcoming general election.

Leaders of All Ceylon Tamil Congress (ACTC), Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization(TELO), Eelam Peoples Revolutionary Liberation Front (Suresh wing) and the TULF, all constituents of the TNA, will hold extensive discussions to formulate election strategy, sources said

All the 15 parliamentarians of the TNA in the dissolved parliament will participate in Tuesday's meeting, sources said.

TNA leaders are expected to discuss in detail the request made by the Upcountry People's Front leader and minister, Mr. Periyasamy Chandrasekaran, to form a grand alliance comprising all Tamil political parties in the Northeast and the hill country, to enhance the parliamentary strength of Tamils in the island.

However, the Ceylon Workers Congress led by Minister Mr.Arumugam Thondaman has already rejected Mr. Chandrasekaran's proposal, saying it would not work out in the hill country, sources said.

Discussions will also be held on the request made by a section of the Tamil civil society to include the People's Liberation Organization of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE) in the TNA, sources said.

Meanwhile, leaders of the TULF will meet separately before the TNA leaders' Tuesday meeting and would discuss the current political situation, sources said.