ITAK leader on election campaign faces animosity in Mullaiththeevu

[TamilNet, Monday, 09 February 2015, 21:08 GMT]
Mavai Senathirajah, the leader of Ilangkai Thamizh Arasuk Kadchi (ITAK), was forced to retreat from Mullaiththeevu on Sunday after facing strong objections from the Tamil public following the controversial conduct of TNA Parliamentary Group Leader R. Sampanthan and nominated parliamentarian M.A. Sumanthiran in Colombo before and after the recent SL presidential elections. The duo has failed to secure any concession from Maithiripala Sirisena before going public with urging Tamils to vote for him and they have hurt Eezham Tamils sentiments by partaking in the so-called Independence Day celebrations in Colombo without achieving anything tangible in resolving the Tamil national question, the people complained.

Elections to Puthukkudiyiruppu and Karai-thu'raip-pattu divisional councils are scheduled to take place on 28th Februar.

Some of the meetings were called off and several members of the public who gathered questioned Mr Mavai Senathiraja and left the meetings in protest when he was on a election campaign trip in the two divisional councils in the district.

Tamil youth activists were demanding Mr Sampanthan and Mr Sumanthiran to resign from the Tamil politics.

An attempt to recruit new members to ITAK youth wing also didn't materialise as scheduled, news sources in Mullaiththeevu told TamilNet.

In the meantime, a section of senior leaders of the ITAK in Jaffna were now supporting the call by Suresh Premachandran of the EPRLF to formally register Tamil National Alliance (TNA).

However, concerned Tamil political circles have cautioned against creating further divisions within the TNA instead of dealing with the few deviators in the rank and file of the ITAK.