Shivajilingam advocates for Tamil common candidate amid political resistance

Friday, 14 June 2024 00:35 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Former MP M.K. Shivajilingam says despite resistance from ITAK and TNA, six Northern political parties are willing to support a common candidate
Asserts his readiness to step forward if no other common candidate emerges

ITAK MP M.K. Shivajilingam

Former Illankai Tamil Arasu Kadchi (ITAK) MP M.K. Shivajilingam has urged Tamil political parties and civil society groups in the North to collaborate in supporting a Tamil common candidate for the upcoming Presidential election.

Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Shivajilingam addressed recent remarks by Tamil National Alliance (TNA) MP M.A. Sumanthiran, who had dismissed the idea of a Tamil common candidate. Despite this rejection, Shivajilingam emphasised that there is still an opportunity to field such a candidate.

He said that despite resistance from the ITAK and the TNA, there are at least six political parties willing to support a potential candidate. Shivajilingam previously contested as a Tamil candidate in the 2010 elections, during which Mahinda Rajapaksa was re-elected as President.

Meanwhile, the Tamil People’s National Alliance, led by MP C.V. Wigneswaran, has also shown interest in fielding a common candidate for the upcoming election. Shivajilingam further stated that if no other common candidate is presented, he will not hesitate to put himself forward as the common candidate. “If a candidate cannot be appointed at the last minute, I will step forward to contest from the Tamil nationalist front, even if I had declared that I will not contest any election henceforth,” he said.

“Shivajilingam is committed to fielding a common Tamil candidate. I want to assure Sumanthiran that there will be a common candidate,” he added.

At a recent meeting held in Jaffna, where Sumanthiran was present, ITAK stalwart C.V.K. Sivagnanam had also expressed his support for fielding a common candidate. Tamil National People’s Front (TNPF) led by MP Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam has urged the people in the north and the east to boycott the next presidential polls. Ponnambalam maintains that in a unitary state, the country’s leadership continues to represent their majority alone.