Tamil Parties Urged to Unite Ahead of Provincial Polls

18-Oct-2025

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While calling for appropriate pressure to immediately hold provincial council elections, representatives of Tamil nationalist political parties at a meeting urged Tamil groups to unite and act in solidarity with the election as their objective.

Emphasizing the necessity of urgently holding the long-delayed provincial council elections and to consider measures to achieve this, representatives of Tamil nationalist parties met on October 15 at the Dilko Hotel in Jaffna to discuss the required actions.

The meeting, which lasted for around two hours, included Democratic Tamil National Alliance spokesperson Suresh Premachandran, leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam and Member of Parliament Selvam Adaikalanathan, leader of the Tamil People’s Liberation Front Dharmalingam Sitharthan, leader of the Democratic Fighters Party Vendan, leader of the Equality Party Chandrakumar, and former North-East Province Chief Minister Varatharajaperumal.

Although an invitation had been extended to the Sri Lanka Tamil State Party to participate, no representative from that party attended the meeting.

At the meeting, delegates extensively discussed applying pressure for the immediate holding of provincial council elections and securing stronger devolution of power.

Given the government’s announcement that provincial council elections will be held soon, it was agreed to continue with public meetings being organized by the Democratic Tamil National Alliance in each district of the Northern Province and to build upon those activities here.

The meeting also examined the necessity for Tamil groups to contest the provincial council elections together and the steps that must be taken to ensure such unity.

Suresh Premachandran stated that they intend to hold talks with parties that wish to cooperate, including meetings with the leader of the Tamil People’s Alliance and former Chief Minister of the Northern Province C.V. Vigneswaran, and he expressed the expectation that the Tamil State Party would participate in future discussions.

He further emphasized that provincial councils are a critically important institution for minority communities, particularly for Tamils, and that postponing their elections indefinitely is unacceptable — underscoring that the elections must be held without delay.