Election frenzy envelopes minority parties

By D. B. S.Jeyaraj 

Three general elections in four years is a prospect that may daunt the stoutest of political parties. While the larger political parties possessing ample resources are gearing up to face the hustings, those smaller parties representing the minority communitiesin the island too are now beginning to cope with the challenge despite the initial surprise.

While the TNA advised and directed by the LTTE is busy finalising its own lists the TULF Leader turned rebel Veerasingham Anandasangaree too is busy trying to devise his own blueprint for action. Though successful in blocking the TNA from appropriating the TULF symbol of rising sun, the TULF President too is unable to utilise it for this election.

Having been mercilessly disowned by his erstwhile parliamentary colleagues acting at the behest of the Tigers, the gutty septugenarian is compelled to field a list of independent candidates. He cannot contest on behalf of the TULF or use the party symbol as the Secretary-General R. Sambandan is estranged from him and in a counter move will resist such attempts.

Even though the LTTE threat looms large TULF circles close to the controversial leader are very happy about the rising tide of support from the rank and file towards Sangaree. Several persons are coming forward to align themselves with the TULF President in spite of potential threats from the LTTE. With lists of candidates being finalised by the LTTE-TNA combine disgruntled hopefuls are swelling these ranks.

According to TULF circles Anandasangaree does not want to field candidates in Trincomalee and Ampara where the Tamils are a minority.  While the prospect of contesting Wanni and Batticaloa are being considered, TULF circles say that Jaffna will be the chief focus of Sangaree being his home turf.

The TULF Leader won in 2000 and 2001 with the highest number of preference votes in the district. While Sangaree's Jaffna list is yet to be finalisedsome candidates have been earmarked or selected already.

Among these are a former Jaffna mayor, an ex-Jaffna MMC, a former local authority chairman from Jaffna, another ex-chairman of a local authority outside Jaffna, the medical doctor brother of a prominent TULFer slain by the LTTE, the bank manager brother-in-law of a well known TULF orator, a popular school master, a well known entrepreneur and hotelier, a Palmyrah Board official and a community leader from the Catholic community.

'Surprise' from UK

Veteran TULF stalwart and former Jaffna DDC member "Aavarangaal" K. Sinnathurai, a close associate of Sangaree is unable to contest as he is receiving medical treatment in the UK. Sangaree however is trying to get down at least one person from the UK to contest as a "surprise" in Jaffna. He is also trying to get the symbol allocated to a now defunct party for his group.

At the other end of the spectrum the Eelam People's Democratic Party's (EPDP) efforts to forge a coalition known as the Tamil Democratic Front too has not been successful. The EPDP's ill advised decision of supporting the SLFP-JVP alliance and then trying to justify that stance by trying to whitewash the alliance as being "non-communal" and "pro-peace" has not found much support among other Tamil parties approached by the EPDP.

PLOTE Leader Dharmalingam Siddharthan told Douglas Devananda point blank that he does not like to identify with the EPDP because of its current stance. The EROS faction led by Shankar Raji too has stated that they are not interested in contesting. The EPRLF faction led by Varatharajaperumal expressed willingness to join but kept on procrastinating. Finally senior activists of EPRLF - Sugu and Mohan - were amenable to being included on the EPDP list in Jaffna but Devananda ruled it out.

Siddharthan of PLOTE suggesteda factional strategy of sorts to Douglas where each party could contest in a separate district alone with others supporting it. The PLOTE could contest in Wanni, EPDP in Jaffna and EPRLF in Batticaloa etc. was the idea. The EPDP was not in favour as it hopes to garner votes from all districts to enhance its overall tally to be eligible for a national list seat.

So now the EPDP with its veena symbol may contest in all north east districts including Colombo. Though Devananda, the eternal optimist is confident of getting double digit seats, others are not so sure. The EPDP has a chance of representation in Jaffna only it is felt. The PLOTE will restrict itself to the Wanni and strive to retain the solitary seat it has there.

The EPDP with two seats in Jaffna is fielding a list of party "heavyweights." Apart from Devananda there will be fellow MP Mathanarajan, former MPs Sivathasan, Thavarajah and Kugendran, ex-Pradeshiya Sabha members Nishanthan and Keerthi etc. Lawyer and human rights activist Maheswari Velayutham along with journalist and political activist Balanadarajah alias Sinna Bala will also be contesting. Another inclusion will be Bhavan a close relative of TULF MP Mavai Senathirajah.

EPDP ex-MP and former secretary to the North Eastern Provincial Council Chairman Dr. Vikneswaran will contest from Trincomalee. Former MPsRasamanickam and Shankar will lead the EPDP lists for Batticaloa and Ampara respectively. Kanthan will lead the Wanni list. Colombo is yet to be decided upon.

Grand alliance falls through

The LTTE sponsored idea of a grand Tamil coalition embracing Sri Lankan and Indian Tamils seems to have fallen through with the CWC's Arumugam Thondaman spurning Up Country People's Front (UCPF) Leader Chandrasekeran's open invitation. The CWC also negotiated and entered into an arrangement with the UNP.

The CWC will contest on the UNP ticket and not the TNA grand alliance. It will have three candidates in Nuwara Eliya, one each in Badulla, Kandy, Matale, Colombo and Ratnapura. It is also assured of a national list seat. The CWC has been strengthened by the inclusion of veteran UNP trade unionist Puthrasigamany who became a PA MP after the last election. Another factor affecting the CWC beneficially is Naveen Dissanayake's decision to refrain from contesting this time.

The CWC's independent decision placed Chandrasekeran and Ganesan in an unenviable position. They too were constrained to throw in their lot with a national party. Both went to Kilinochchi and explained their predicament to Tamilselvan.

Now the WPPF will be part of the UNP list in Colombo and Gampaha. While sitting MP Mano Ganesan seems a cinch, there is apossibility of Tamil Congress vice president Kumarakuruparan being accommodated on the UNP list as part of WPPF.

The UCPF too will most likely contest along with the UNP. It may contest separately in Nuwara Eliya but support the UNP in all other districts. It could field a few candidates in Badulla, Kandy and Colombo. In any event the SLFP's tie up with the JVP has restricted the choices available to minority parties.

The Muslim Congress and its dissident factions are under strong pressure from the community's religious leaders and intelligentsia to unite. While Ferial Ashraff and Hizbullah have firmly hitched themselves to the SLFP-JVP bandwagon, the Athaullah led faction was dilly dallying. There were conflicting reports that it was going to team up with Ferial while another said it would reunite with Hakeem.

Meanwhile, Rauf Hakeem is resolved to contest along with the UNP. The idea is to contest separately in some north east districts and join up with the UNP in others. Hakeem had also established an understanding with "Myown" Mustapha and Naushad, both of them sons of former Eastern MPs M. C. Ahmed and M. Abdul Majeed.

There were strong indications that a new Muslim alliance comprising SLMC, NUA, Ashraff Congress and UNP Muslims will contest separately in Ampara District to enhance representation. This possible union between the SLMC and UNP has seemingly caused disaffection among SLMC MPs from the district, Faris and Anwer Ismail. This could result in them joining Ferial.

Meanwhile, Hakeem's chances in Kandy were seemingly threatened by the prospect of Faizer Mustapha, son of Faiz Mustapha contesting as the CWC nominee on the UNP list. Hakeem however has quite a few cards up his sleeve and has allocated slots for himself in Colombo and Amparai in addition to Kandy.

In what was perhaps a very surprising development and counter development, the UNP's ex-minister of Hindu Affairs and former Jaffna District MP Thiyagarajah Maheswaran announced that he will not be contesting from Jaffna and that he is bidding farewell to peninsula politics. He began setting his sights on a national list seat in return for campaigning on behalf of the UNP in Colombo and Gampaha.

According to sources close to Maheswaran, Jaffna LTTE Political Commissar Ilamparithy had first warned him not to contest this time. Later Tamilselvan announced that Sinhala parties were not welcome in Tamil areas and later retracted it. Meanwhile, a special "emissary" from the Wanni accosted Maheswaran at a function in Kayts and told him that the "national leader" wanted him to refrain from contesting. A thoroughly alarmed Maheswaran did so publicly.

In a further twist Maheswaran was summoned again to Kilinochchi by the LTTE. The Tiger trio of Pottu Amman, Tamilselvan and Nadesan interviewed Maheswaran and offered him the first place on the TNA list for Jaffna. The Tigers also expected him to foot a hefty portion of the campaign expenses. Maheswaran departed saying he will think it over and returned to Colombo. He is however not keen on contesting in Jaffna on the TNA ticket. He would prefer contesting in Colombo on the UNP ticket to that.

So minority jockeyingfor parliamentary stakes is off to a brisk start. With politics being fluid and politicos fickle quite a few twists and turns are likely before nominations close on February 24.

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