TNA to meet again to decide on election symbol

[TamilNet, Sunday, 15 February 2004, 15:36 GMT]
The leaders of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) will meet again on February 18th to take a final decision regarding the election symbol to contest the forthcoming parliamentary general election, which is to be held on April 2, party sources said. TNA leaders took the decision to this effect at a discussion held Sunday evening at the headquarters of the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF), main constituent of the TNA.

The TULF, All Ceylon Tamil Congress (ACTC), Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization (TELO) and Eelam Peoples Revolutionary Liberation Front (EPRLF-Suresh wing) are the constituents of the TNA, sources said.

The discussion which began around 1.30 p.m. Sunday concluded at about 5.30 p.m. without taking a decision on the election symbol for the TNA. However they discussed in detail with regard to problems faced by the TULF following the case instituted by its President Mr. V.Anandasangaree against party secretary general Mr.R.Sampanthan and senior vice president Mr.Joseph Pararajasingham, sources said.

TNA leaders discussed the possibility of using another election symbol in the event the “Rising Sun” symbol could not used by the TNA candidates. Suggestions were made at the discussion the symbol of the Federal Party (FP) “ House” or the Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization (TELO) “ Lighthouse” could be used if a situation arose preventing the use of “Rising Sun” of the TNA, sources said.

However TNA leaders decided to meet again on February 18 in Colombo to take a final decision after meeting the LTTE leadership in Killinochchi on February 16th, sources said.

Messrs R.Sampanthan, Joseph Pararajasingham, N.Raviraj, Mavai Senathirajah and K.Thurairetnasingham of the TULF, Messrs Selvam Adaikalanathan, Indrakumar Prasanna and N.Sri Srikantha of TELO, Messrs A.Vinayagamoorthy, Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam and Nalliah Kumarakuruparan of the ACTC and Mr.Suresh Premachchandran of the EPRLF (Suresh wing) participated in Sunday’s discussion which was conducted in a cordial atmosphere, sources said.