TMVP to contest polls independently in East

By Shanika Sriyananda

The Thamil Makkal Viduthalai Puligal (TMVP) would contest on its own at the forthcoming local polls without aligning with other political parties in the Eastern province.

The TMVP, which is known an the Karuna faction took this decision at their Polit Bureau meeting yesterday. The TMVP's spokesman Azad Moulana told the 'Sunday Observer' that the TMVP would contest all nine local bodies including the Municipal Council in the Eastern province. "The party launched its election campaign yesterday and we are confident that we would win in the Eastern region. People are with us", he said.

He said that because of their stability they do not want to join any other Tamil political party to win the election. When asked about the allegations against them on forced recruitment, carrying arms and abductions Moulana said that they do not have any involvement in those alleged incidents but they have been threatened by the LTTE.

"The armed TMVP cadres would be confined to the jungles to ensure the prevention of LTTE infiltration in the East when the campaigns commence," Moulana said adding that they will take steps to ensure security in the region.

Meanwhile, a separate committee has been appointed to select TMVP candidates for the elections and will announce their names before January 9.

Moulana said that the TMVP is hopeful of the return of its leader V. Muralitharan alias Karuna who is now in custody in the UK.

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