Pillaiyan Predicts an Easy win for UPFA in the East

(By K.T.Rajasingham)

Sivanesathurai Chanthirakanthan alias Pillaiyan said that the ruling United Peoples Freedom Alliance would easily win in the Eastern Provincial Council election, despite the Jaffna leadership of the Tamil National Alliance were bent on misleading the Tamils of the Eastern Province. The former Chief Minister said that they are facing a stern electoral battle, but their victory is assured. He alleged that though the TNA Leader R. Sampanthan is a matured politician, he is bent on releasing information contrary to his political maturity. Sivanesathurai Chanthirakanthan said that Mr. Sampanthan has recently uttered that the TNA would win 8 seats in the Batticaloa district, 5 in Trincomalee and in Amparai 4 and would obtain the 2 bonus seats and thus would win 19 seats in a 37-member Provincial Council.

He further said that in case if he could muster and win over the Eastern Provincial Council alone without any support from other political parties, then “I am ready to give up my political career in the Eastern Province.”

“I know that it will not happen even in the wildest dreams of the TNA leader and that is why I am throwing this challenge. By his immature utterings he is trying to mislead the people," the former Chief Minister opined.

He alleged that almost all the Jaffna TNA leaders are presently camping in the East and “are trying their utmost to win the support of the Tamils in the region to defeat us – an impossible endeavor.”

We are determined to defeat the TNA and would show the world on 8 September, a mammoth victory of the UPFA – an unprecedented one.

When asked how many seats they will win in the Batticaloa district, he said that “I have already predicted that the ruling UPFA will win 7 seats. He said out of that, his Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal candidates will easily win 5 seats.

In the last election, the TMVP obtained 3 sets in the Batticaloa district and he predicted that they will easily win 5 seats in this election.

He clarified in case UPFA win 7 seats in the Batticaloa district, then it would be 2 Muslims and 5 Tamils and ”on the other hand if we win 8 seats, it would be 3 Muslims and 5 Tamils.”

He said in Amparai, there will be 4 Sinhalese win, Minister Athaulas party candidates in the UPFA will win 3 and the Tamils will win 3 seats, as we won last time and a total of 10 seats for the UPFA in Amparai.

He also said the UPFA would easily win 5 seats in the Trincomalee district.

The former Chief Minister said that they will win a total of 24 seats including the 2 bonus seats in this election.

When giving reasons for their anticipated victory he said that though the TNA and others come up with all sorts of arguments and stories, they are strangers to the East and in general people in the Province believes in us - UPFA.

Pillaiyan alleged that the Tamil leaders have not done anything tangible in the last 62 years, except for their empty words and broken promises. People are of the opinion that the Tamil leadership has not done anything for their welfare.

People in the East long to lead a harmonious life in the multi-ethnic region but the TNA is trying to isolate the Tamils and create suspicions in the eyes of the other two ethnic groups in the province - following a dangerous ploy of the LTTE.

Therefore our victory has been confirmed by the people of the Province, he said with confidence and determination.

- Asian Tribune -