Democratic Tamil National Alliance
ஜனநாயக தமிழ் தேசிய கூட்டணி
AbbreviationDTNA
Secretary-GeneralVelayutham Nallanadar
Founded2008 (2008) (as the Tamil Democratic National Alliance)
13 January 2023 (2023-01-13) (as the Democratic Tamil National Alliance)
Headquarters16 Haig Road, Bambalapitiya, Colombo
IdeologyTamil nationalism
Parliament
4 / 225
Provincial Councils
0 / 455
Local Government
0 / 8,327
Election symbol
Brass Lamp

The Democratic Tamil National Alliance (abbreviated DTNA; Tamil: ஜனநாயக தமிழ் தேசிய கூட்டணி, romanized: Jaṉanāyaka Tamiḻ Tēciya Kūṭṭaṇi), previously known as the Tamil Democratic National Alliance (abbreviated TDNA), is a political alliance in Sri Lanka that represents the country's Sri Lankan Tamil ethnic minority. The alliance is recognised by the Election Commission of Sri Lanka as registered political party with the brass lamp (kuthuvilakku) as its symbol.[1]

History

The Tamil Democratic National Alliance (TDNA) was formed in 2008 by the Democratic People's Liberation Front[a] (DPLF), the Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front (Pathmanabha wing)[b] and the Tamil United Liberation Front to contest the 2008 Sri Lanka Eastern Provincial Council election.[2][3] The TDNA secured 1.30% of the votes in the election, winning a single seat, R. Thurairatnam in Batticaloa District.[4][5]

Following the end of the Sri Lankan Civil War in 2009 the Sri Lankan Tamil diaspora started exerting pressure on Sri Lankan Tamil political parties to unite and so DPLF/PLOTE and the TULF joined the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), the largest political group representing Sri Lankan Tamils.[6] The EPRLF (Pathmanabha wing) led by T. Sritharan alias Sugu was not allowed to join the TNA due to the opposition of TNA member EPRLF (Suresh wing) led by Suresh Premachandran.[6] The TDNA remained dormant thereafter.

In December 2022 the Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi, the main constituent of the TNA, announced that it would contest the 2023 Sri Lankan local elections on its own.[7][8] In response, the two remaining members of the TNA, DPLF/PLOTE and the Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization, resurrected the TDNA, which was now known as the Democratic Tamil National Alliance (DTNA), in January 2023 to contest the election.[7][9] The alliance was joined by the Crusaders for Democracy, EPRLF (Suresh) and the Tamil National Party.[10][11] The DTNA is downplaying the "Democratic" in its name to imply that it's the TNA.[10][12]

Members

Current

Name Leader Parliament
Crusaders for Democracy Sivanandan Navindra
0 / 225
Democratic People's Liberation Front
(People's Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam)		 D. Siddarthan
1 / 225
Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front (Suresh) Suresh Premachandran
0 / 225
Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization Selvam Adaikalanathan
3 / 225
Tamil National Party N. Srikantha
0 / 225

Former

Name Leader
Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front (Pathmanabha) T. Sritharan
Tamil United Liberation Front V. Anandasangaree

Election results

Provincial

Election Eastern Provincial Council Northern Provincial Council Nationwide
Votes % # Seats +/– Government Votes % # Seats +/– Government Votes % # Seats +/–
2008–09 7,714 1.30% 4th
1 / 37
 — Opposition No election 7,714 0.09% 10th
1 / 417
 New

Notes

  1. ^ The Democratic People's Liberation Front is the political wing of the People's Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE)
  2. ^ The Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front (Pathmanabha wing) was previously known as the Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front (Varathar wing)

References

  1. ^ "Details of Recognized Political Parties". Rajagiriya, Sri Lanka: Election Commission of Sri Lanka. 25 January 2023. Archived from the original on 28 September 2022. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
  2. ^ "PLOTE, EPRLF, TULF to contest under one wing". TamilNet. 29 March 2008. Archived from the original on 1 December 2022. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
  3. ^ "New alliance for Eastern polls". BBC Sinhala. London, U.K. 30 March 2008. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
  4. ^ "UPFA wins 'rigged' EPC election". TamilNet. 11 May 2008. Archived from the original on 5 December 2022. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
  5. ^ Muralidhar Reddy, R. (6 November 2009). "For a new term". Frontline. Chennai, India: The Hindu Group. Archived from the original on 22 September 2020. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
  6. ^ a b Jeyaraj, D. B. S. (18 May 2013). "Tamil National Alliance Faces Acute Political Crisis". Daily Mirror. Colombo, Sri Lanka. Archived from the original on 2 July 2022. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
  7. ^ a b Jeyaraj, D. B. S. (21 January 2023). "TNA was Born in 2001 Due to Elections Shock of 2000". Daily Mirror. Colombo, Sri Lanka. Archived from the original on 24 January 2023. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
  8. ^ "Tamil parties circles as Tamil National Alliance in crisis". Tamil Guardian. 10 January 2023. Archived from the original on 10 January 2023. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
  9. ^ "Democratic TNA - New alliance formed ahead of local elections". Tamil Guardian. 14 January 2023. Archived from the original on 14 January 2023. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
  10. ^ a b Jeyaraj, D. B. S. (25 January 2023). "How the TNA became 'Tiger Nominated Agents'". Daily FT. Colombo, Sri Lanka. Archived from the original on 26 January 2023. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
  11. ^ Kamalendran, Chris (15 January 2023). "TNA splits, new alliance emerges for local polls". The Sunday Times. Colombo, Sri Lanka. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
  12. ^ "சம்பந்தன் யார்?". Virakesari (in Tamil). Colombo, Sri Lanka. 28 January 2023. Archived from the original on 28 January 2023. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
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