Shivajilingam explains candidature

by Manjula FERNANDO

TNA Jaffna district parliamentarian and independent Presidential candidate M.K.Shivajilingam said he decided to contest the forthcoming Presidential Polls since TNA leaders were still on the fence over their stance.

“We were on the stance that the TNA should field its own candidate.

Since the TNA was not going to do this I decided to contest as an independent candidate,” Shivajilingam told the media after handing over his nomination at the Elections Secretariat at Rajagiriya.

“Some of our leaders were of the view that we must equally support the two main parties. That was the problem,” he said explaining why the TNA refrained from fielding its own candidate.

“We have 22 members in Parliament. Twelve of us said we must not support the two main parties while seven voiced the opinion that we must field our own candidate.

Five were of the view the TNA should boycott the election,” he said.

The MP turned Presidential candidate said since they could not find common ground on this issue and the leaders were indecisive, he cameforth to contest the election as an independent Presidential candidate representing the Tamil community.