Siripalan Jensi, an Eelam Tamil contesting in the parliamentary elections in Sri Lanka, has joined hands with the Democratic Tamil National Alliance this week. He called on other independent candidates to join forces adding that contesting independently deprived the Tamils of fair representation in Sri Lanka's parliament.
In a Friday afternoon press conference in Mannar, Jensi explained his decision to support former MP Selvam Adikakalanathan and the DTNA - a coalition dedicated to the Tamil people’s representation. He expressed concerns over the growing number of independent groups contesting the election, which he claimed were intentionally formed to fragment the Tamil vote.
“Numerous independent groups are competing in this election, and I have come to realize that many of these groups are funded by powers, both local and international, to divide the Tamil vote,” Jensi stated. “The objective is to prevent the Tamil community from achieving proper representation.”
Highlighting what he described as “false promises” made by certain independent groups to voters, including promises to support Tamil families and former heroes of the conflict, Jensi declared his exit from one of the independent groups. “I could no longer stand by a group that, despite its promises, does not truly advocate for change,” he said. “Instead, I urge all Tamil voters to rally behind the DTNA to ensure genuine representation for our community.”
Former MP Selvam Adikakalanathan, a senior member of the DTNA and District Coordinator Daniel Vasanth, also attended the press conference. Their presence underscored the growing support behind the DTNA’s mission to consolidate Tamil votes and counter what they see as efforts to dilute Tamil political power in the region. Sri Lankans and Tamils will head to the polls next week on November 14th to elect new members to Sri Lanka's parliament.
