By Easwaran Rutnam
The main political parties contesting the upcoming presidential election have been having wide-ranging talks with Tamil political parties, making various promises to secure the support of the Tamils for the elections.
The main discussion has been with the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), who still has the power to dictate which way the Tamils in the North and East will vote.
Most discussions, so far, have been at an informal level as the presidential election is yet to be declared.
The United National Party (UNP) has had more in-depth discussions with the TNA, although as of Friday (13), the party was yet to finalise its presidential candidate.
TNA Parliamentarian Dharmalingam Siddharthan told The Sunday Morning that they have had separate talks with President Maithripala Sirisena, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, presidential hopeful Sajith Premadasa, Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) presidential candidate Gotabaya Rajapaksa, and Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) presidential candidate Anura Kumara Dissanayake.
Meanwhile, the SLPP has also had talks with the Eelam People's Democratic Party (EPDP) led by Douglas Devananda and the Batticaloa-based Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pullikal (TMVP) led by Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan alias Pillayan.
Pillayan, who earlier supported Mahinda Rajapaksa when he was President, is currently in remand prison over the murder of former TNA MP Joseph Pararajasingham.
Former Eastern Province Chief Minister Varadharaja Perumal, who has already extended his support to the SLPP, met Pillayan in prison last week.
TMVP sources said that Perumal had discussed obtaining the support of the TMVP for Gotabaya Rajapaksa at the presidential election.
The TMVP does not have a large vote base in the East, but can play a role in campaigning for Rajapaksa, particularly in Batticaloa and Trincomalee.
Promises to Tamils
The main parties have made various promises to the Tamil parties, including on a political solution and other key matters.
However, on its part, the TNA says it is not convinced on the promises made and will wait till elections are declared to have formal discussions before taking a final decision.
The latest discussion the TNA had was with presidential hopeful Sajith Premadasa.
Siddharthan said that several TNA members attended the meeting with Premadasa where key issues faced by the Tamils in the North were discussed.
He said Premadasa had assured that if he became President, he would push for a political solution for the Tamils.
“Premadasa told us that we must go for constitutional amendments within six months of forming the government. Otherwise, it will be difficult,” he said.
Siddharthan said that Premadasa was for a unitary state structure, but the TNA had told him it might be difficult to obtain full Tamil support for a unitary system.
The TNA MP said that Premadasa had also given assurances on housing and other matters which can easily be addressed.
However, the TNA had told Premadasa that he needed to first sort out his internal matters where the UNP was yet to pick him as the presidential candidate.
“We told him we can discuss things further once the UNP sorts its internal issue and declares its presidential candidate,” Siddharthan said.
Prime Minister and UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, who was in Jaffna last weekend, also had informal talks with the TNA and gave assurances on a political solution for the Tamils.
However, similar assurances had been given even in 2015 and very few were met, as a result of which the Tamils are now split on who they should support.
Siddharthan said that TNA members have had informal talks with Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Anura Kumara Dissanayake as well, but the real negotiations will start only once the date is set for the election and it is clear who the final candidates are.
Wigneswaran to split Tamil vote
Meanwhile, former Northern Province Chief Minister C.V. Wigneswaran is making a strong push to gather the support of the Tamils in the North and East ahead of the presidential election.
Wigneswaran will stage a major rally in Jaffna tomorrow (16) with some local Tamil politicians who support him in the Tamil People’s Council.
Awareness campaigns have already been staged in the North and East ahead of the rally.
The Tamil People’s Council said that the rally will demand politicians in Sri Lanka to address key issues faced by Tamils.
Wigneswaran does not command the support the TNA has in the North and East, but he is likely to influence a split in the Tamil vote. The former Northern Province Chief Minister went his separate way after splitting from the TNA and has been pushing his own agenda.
His policy is for an international investigation on the war in Sri Lanka, a demerged North and East, and the withdrawal of the Army from the North.
However, the Government has refused to accept his conditions.
The main political parties contesting the upcoming presidential election have been having wide-ranging talks with Tamil political parties, making various promises to secure the support of the Tamils for the elections.
The main discussion has been with the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), who still has the power to dictate which way the Tamils in the North and East will vote.
Most discussions, so far, have been at an informal level as the presidential election is yet to be declared.
The United National Party (UNP) has had more in-depth discussions with the TNA, although as of Friday (13), the party was yet to finalise its presidential candidate.
TNA Parliamentarian Dharmalingam Siddharthan told The Sunday Morning that they have had separate talks with President Maithripala Sirisena, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, presidential hopeful Sajith Premadasa, Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) presidential candidate Gotabaya Rajapaksa, and Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) presidential candidate Anura Kumara Dissanayake.
Meanwhile, the SLPP has also had talks with the Eelam People's Democratic Party (EPDP) led by Douglas Devananda and the Batticaloa-based Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pullikal (TMVP) led by Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan alias Pillayan.
Pillayan, who earlier supported Mahinda Rajapaksa when he was President, is currently in remand prison over the murder of former TNA MP Joseph Pararajasingham.
Former Eastern Province Chief Minister Varadharaja Perumal, who has already extended his support to the SLPP, met Pillayan in prison last week.
TMVP sources said that Perumal had discussed obtaining the support of the TMVP for Gotabaya Rajapaksa at the presidential election.
The TMVP does not have a large vote base in the East, but can play a role in campaigning for Rajapaksa, particularly in Batticaloa and Trincomalee.
Promises to Tamils
The main parties have made various promises to the Tamil parties, including on a political solution and other key matters.
However, on its part, the TNA says it is not convinced on the promises made and will wait till elections are declared to have formal discussions before taking a final decision.
The latest discussion the TNA had was with presidential hopeful Sajith Premadasa.
Siddharthan said that several TNA members attended the meeting with Premadasa where key issues faced by the Tamils in the North were discussed.
He said Premadasa had assured that if he became President, he would push for a political solution for the Tamils.
“Premadasa told us that we must go for constitutional amendments within six months of forming the government. Otherwise, it will be difficult,” he said.
Siddharthan said that Premadasa was for a unitary state structure, but the TNA had told him it might be difficult to obtain full Tamil support for a unitary system.
The TNA MP said that Premadasa had also given assurances on housing and other matters which can easily be addressed.
However, the TNA had told Premadasa that he needed to first sort out his internal matters where the UNP was yet to pick him as the presidential candidate.
“We told him we can discuss things further once the UNP sorts its internal issue and declares its presidential candidate,” Siddharthan said.
Prime Minister and UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, who was in Jaffna last weekend, also had informal talks with the TNA and gave assurances on a political solution for the Tamils.
However, similar assurances had been given even in 2015 and very few were met, as a result of which the Tamils are now split on who they should support.
Siddharthan said that TNA members have had informal talks with Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Anura Kumara Dissanayake as well, but the real negotiations will start only once the date is set for the election and it is clear who the final candidates are.
Wigneswaran to split Tamil vote
Meanwhile, former Northern Province Chief Minister C.V. Wigneswaran is making a strong push to gather the support of the Tamils in the North and East ahead of the presidential election.
Wigneswaran will stage a major rally in Jaffna tomorrow (16) with some local Tamil politicians who support him in the Tamil People’s Council.
Awareness campaigns have already been staged in the North and East ahead of the rally.
The Tamil People’s Council said that the rally will demand politicians in Sri Lanka to address key issues faced by Tamils.
Wigneswaran does not command the support the TNA has in the North and East, but he is likely to influence a split in the Tamil vote. The former Northern Province Chief Minister went his separate way after splitting from the TNA and has been pushing his own agenda.
His policy is for an international investigation on the war in Sri Lanka, a demerged North and East, and the withdrawal of the Army from the North.
However, the Government has refused to accept his conditions.