300 Ex-LTTErs to contest GE
By Ananth Palakidnar
A group of former members of the now defunct LTTE’s political wing is exploring the possibility of contesting the upcoming general election.
They are expected to hold a special meeting in Jaffna today (3) to discuss their entry into mainstream politics.
Former Uthayan Editor N. Vithyatharan, who had been closely associated with the late LTTE theoretician Anton Balasingham, told Ceylon Today that the former cadres of the LTTE’s political wing had expressed their intention of entering the political mainstream at the forthcoming general election. “I have been coordinating with the ex LTTE cadres. All of them have been rehabilitated after they surrendered to the Security Forces at the end of the conflict in 2009,” Vithyatharan said.
According to him, today’s meeting of the LTTE’s ex-political wing cadres and their sympathizers would be crucial, in terms of deciding their future political moves.
“Outcome of today’s meeting is expected to be announced at a press briefing in Jaffna on Sunday,” Vithyatharan said.
He also said nearly 300 ex-LTTE cadres who were handling the political activities of the LTTE in various parts of the North and East, have now come forward to enter the mainstream of politics in the backdrop of the general election.
Most of the ex-cadres had shown interest in strengthening the LTTE’s political wing by denouncing violence when the outfit was active. However, the LTTE hierarchy was adamant in strengthening its military wing. Therefore, the cadres who were politicizing the outfit were sidelined long before the end of the civil war, Vithyatharan said.
All possibilities of joining the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), forming a new political party and going solo in the parliamentary polls will be taken into consideration at the meeting, he added.