The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) today (07) officially announced that all political parties in their coalition have pledged support to New Democratic Front (NDF) presidential candidate Minister Sajith Premadasa in  the upcoming Presidential Election.

Issuing a release with regard to the Presidential Election 2019, the TNA said the Presidential Election, which is contested by a record number of candidates including Minister Sajith Premadasa from NDF, ex-Defence Secretary from Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake from the National People’s Power (NPP), General Mahesh Senanayake and many other, now appears to be primarily a contest between two front-runners.

Sajith Premadasa and Gotabaya Rajapaksa have been involved in governance and belong to political formations that have been in governance in recent times, the TNA says. “We have their past performances, on the basis of which a proper judgment can be made.”

The TNA says “Sajith Premadasa is a leader with clean hands,” stressing that it is accepted he has done his best in whatever capacity he has functioned.

“He has reiterated his firm commitment to uniting all the people in the country and taking forward the country towards progress and prosperity. He stated that he has a clear vision of his mission. There are positive features deserving of favorable consideration.”

The release was issued by TNA leader MP R. Sampanthan, Illankai Tamil Arasu Kadchi (ITAK) leader MP Mavai S. Senathirajah, Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization (TELO) leader MP Selvam Adaikkalanathan and People’s Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE) leader Dharmalingam Siddarthan.

The TNA emphasizes that the issue of acceptable political solution to the national question within a united, undivided, indivisible country, the issue of missing persons, the issue of persons in custody, the release of lands, resettlement and rehabilitation, the implementation of commitments made by the Sri Lankan Government both domestically and internationally, need to be fulfilled.

The newly elected President would need to address these matters urgently, the TNA stressed. “These issued need to be addressed not only in the interests of the Tamil people, but also in the interests of the whole country and all the people.”

The TNA also stated that an examination of the manifestos launched by the two presidential front-runners would suggest that reposing confidence in the candidature and programmes & policies of Sajith Premadasa would be the correct course of action.

The TNA has urged all people, particularly Tamil people whom it represents to vote for Minister Sajith Premadasa.