Sampanthan signed two secret agreements with Fonseka, UNP

Lakshmi DE SILVA

Tamil National Alliance leader R.Sampanthan had signed two secret agreements with NDF Presidential candidate Sarath Fonseka and UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe. But the JVP, the second largest political party in the Fonseka camp were not aware of it, TNA Member of Parliament M.K.Sivajilingam who is also a candidate contesting the Presidential poll told the Daily News yesterday.

The brokers between Fonseka and Sampanthan were WPF Parliamentarian Mano Ganeshan and SLMC leader Rauf Hakim.

As members of the TNA we could not accept any agreement made with the Fonseka camp that was not accepted by the JVP the second largest party backing his candidature nor were we told what the agreements they had reached with Sampanthan. Only photo copies of some document was shown to the TNA members and Sampanthan is keeping the originals. We are not mad to accept as authentic the copies that were shown.

He said he was not aware whether Fonseka would break up the north and east into two or three.

We could have reached a settlement the problem as far back as 1987 but we had not done it. The promise of abolishing the executive presidency by Sarath Fonseka is also not a realistic one.

Therefore I am contesting the presidential poll and I will obtain a large number of votes from the north and east and will be placed third.

Some TNA Parliamentarians asked whether there was a written agreement between Samapanthan and Fonseka refused to comment. When asked whether the TNA was split into two or more factions they said these Parliamentarians were not aware.

TNA leader Sampanthan with some other TNA Parliamentarians is currently on a visit to India.