PA to contest in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Monday, 31 July 2000, 14:08 GMT]
The ruling People's Alliance will contest the elections to the Sri Lankan Parliament in Jaffna, the secretary of the Jaffna branch of the Sri Lanka Freedom's Party, Mr.S.Thevakulanayakam told TamilNet Monday. The Sri Lankan Freedom Party (SLFP) is the main constituent and convener of the People's Alliance. "The SLFP's Jaffna district branch has resolved that the PA shall not align with any other party or group for the elections" he said. Mr.Velmurugu Thangaraja will be the SLFP's chief candidate for Jaffna according to Thevakulanayakam.

Tamil party leaders, including EPDP's Douglas Devananda and TULF's Mavai Senathirajah, are in Jaffna currently testing the political mood trying to gather supporters getting organised for the elections which are expected in October-November.

The SLFP's decision to join the fray is worrisome development for Tamil groups that have been tacitly relying on Sri Lanka security forces support for rigging, particularly in the event of polling centres from areas in the large Thenmaradchi sector of the peninsula being clustered in or by army camps. Most of the Thenmaradchi division is under the control of the Liberation Tigers.

The SLFP in Jaffna, however, told TamilNet that it is relying on a tested support base in the peninsula. Thevakulanayakam said that many persons in Jaffna have already expressed interest in contesting the elections on the SLFP list. Mr. Thevakulanayakam works as a security guard at Vaitheeswara college in Jaffna town.