A new alliance of Tamil nationalist parties was formed yesterday as local elections are set to take place across the island.
The five parties - Tamil Eelam Liberation Organisation (TELO), People's Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE), Tamil National Party (TNP), Eelam People’s Revolutionary Liberation Front (EPRLF) and the Crusaders for Democracy - signed a memorandum of understanding, agreeing to jointly contest in the upcoming local elections.
Tamil Makkal Thesiya Kootani (TMTK) leader C V Wigneswaran attended a meeting with the other parties earlier in the week but reportedly left after there were disagreements on various issues, including the symbol of the new alliance.
The new alliance comes as the TNA, the largest alliance representing Tamils in the North-East, faces divisions between and within the constituent parties.
Read more here: Tamil parties circles as Tamil National Alliance in crisis