Tamil civil society members and most tamil parties, fielded P.Ariayneththiran as the Tamil peoples common candidate for the forthcoming presidential polls on September 21.
The need for a common candidate was in the making for the last several months to deal with the Sri Lankan government in a unified voice. As such the Thamil Makkal Pothu Sabai (Tamil Peoples General Assembly) was created by civil society leaders and Tamil politicians to field a common Tamil candidate for the forthcoming presidential run. Accordinly after taking into various factors as well as Sri Lanka's Election Commission's guidelines into consideration, former TNA MP P.Ariyaneththiran was announced as the Tamil common candidate on Aug 8.
Tamil peoples General Assembly sources further confirmed that the candidates nomination fee was deposited at the Elections Commission today by, T.Sitparan, central committe member of the Tamil Peoples Alliance led by former Northern Province Chief Minister CV. Wigneswaran. Ever since talks about fielding a Tamil Common Candidate was in the air, momentum in support of the initiative has been gathering both on ground and in the diaspora. Meanwhile TNA MP and Spokesperson M.A. Sumanthiran after the party's central committee meeting yesterday, told reporters that the party has not taken a stand with regard to the support for the common candidate.
Civilian sources when contacted, after Mr. Sumanthiran's press conference yesterday, said, that the TNA MP and the TNA will be alienated at the parliamentary elections which are expected before the end of 2025 if the TNA decides not to support the Tamil Common Candidate in the Presidential poll on Sept, 21.