Tamil United Liberation Front
Encyclopedia
The Tamil United Liberation Front is a political party
in Sri Lanka
which seeks independence for the Tamil-populated areas of Sri Lanka.
, formed the Tamil United Front (TUF). The Federal Party joined the TUF in 1976. The TUF changed its name to the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) and adopted a demand for an independent state to be known as the "secular, socialist state of Tamil Eelam
".
in which the UNP
won by a landslide, the TULF won 6.40% of the popular vote and 18 out of 168 seats in the Sri Lankan parliament, including all 14 seats in the Northern Province
.
Votes and seats won by TULF by electoral district
The TULF became the official opposition as result of the rout of the SLFP
. The TULF's success would lead to riots
in which hundreds of Tamils were murdered by Sinhala mobs.
Throughout the 1970s and early 1980s, the TULF was frequently blamed by nationalist Sinhalese
politicians for acts of violence committed by militant groups such as the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
(LTTE). In fact, the TULF represented an older, more conservative generation of Tamils that felt independence could be achieved without violence, more rival than ally to youth groups like the LTTE who believed in armed conflict.
In October 1983, all the TULF legislators, numbering sixteen at the time, forfeited their seats in Parliament for refusing to swear an oath unconditionally renouncing support for a separate state in accordance with the Sixth Amendment to the Constitution of Sri Lanka.
During the 1980s, the LTTE began to see the TULF as a rival in its desire to be considered the sole representatives of the Tamils of the north and east. Over the next two decades, the LTTE has assassinated several TULF leaders, including A. Amirthalingam and Neelan Thiruchelvam
.
n backed paramilitary
groups, Eelam National Democratic Liberation Front
(ENDLF), Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front
(EPRLF) and Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization
(TELO), to contest the 15 February 1989 election
. The alliance won 3.40% of the popular vote and 10 out of 225 seats in the Sri Lankan parliament.
Votes and seats won by TULF / ENDLF / EPRLF / TULF alliance by electoral district
in which the People's Alliance
alliance led by Chandrika Kumaratunga
came to power after 17 years of UNP
rule, the TULF won 1.60% of the popular vote and 5 out of 225 seats in the Sri Lankan parliament.
Votes and seats won by TULF by electoral district
in which the People's Alliance
alliance led by Ratnasiri Wickremanayake
retained to power, the TULF won 1.23% of the popular vote and 5 out of 225 seats in the Sri Lankan parliament.
Votes and seats won by TULF by electoral district
, a critic of the Tamil Tigers, left the Tamil National Alliance
when it took a pro-Tamil Tigers stance at the 2004 general election
. Anandasangaree gained control of the TULF after a legal battle, forcing the TULF members who wanted to remain in the TNA to resurrect the Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi
, which is now a constituent party of the TNA.
and only in one electoral district in the 2 April 2004 parliamentary election
, winning 0.06% of the popular vote and no seats in the Sri Lankan parliament.
Votes and seats won by TULF by electoral district
in which the United People's Freedom Alliance
alliance led by President Rajapaksa
retained power, the TULF led by V. Anandasangaree won 0.11% of the popular vote and no seats in the Sri Lankan parliament.
Votes and seats won by TULF by electoral district
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
which seeks independence for the Tamil-populated areas of Sri Lanka.
Formation
On May 4, 1972 several Tamil political groups, including the All Ceylon Tamil CongressAll Ceylon Tamil Congress
All Ceylon Tamil Congress , is the oldest Tamil political party in Sri Lanka.-History:The ACTC was founded in 1944 by G.G. Ponnambalam. Ponnambalam asked for a 50-50 representation in parliament...
, formed the Tamil United Front (TUF). The Federal Party joined the TUF in 1976. The TUF changed its name to the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) and adopted a demand for an independent state to be known as the "secular, socialist state of Tamil Eelam
Tamil Eelam
Tamil Eelam , is the name given by certain Tamils in Sri Lanka and the Sri Lankan Tamil diaspora to the independent state which they aspire to create in the north and east of Sri Lanka. Tamil Eelam has no official status or recognition by any other state or authority...
".
1977 Parliamentary General Election
In the first general election contested by the TULF, the 21 July 1977 electionSri Lankan parliamentary election, 1977
The 1977 Sri Lankan election heralded the beginning of a new period of Sri Lanka's history - a period of unprecedented violence.-Background:Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike had become extraordinarily unpopular. Her economic policies had led to industrial growth and self-reliance, but was...
in which the UNP
United National Party
The United National Party, often referred to as the UNP ), , is a political party in Sri Lanka. It currently is the main opposition party in Sri Lanka and is headed by Ranil Wickremesinghe...
won by a landslide, the TULF won 6.40% of the popular vote and 18 out of 168 seats in the Sri Lankan parliament, including all 14 seats in the Northern Province
Northern Province, Sri Lanka
The Northern Province is one of the 9 provinces of Sri Lanka. The provinces have existed since the 19th century but did not have any legal status until 1987 when the 13th Amendment to the 1978 Constitution of Sri Lanka established provincial councils. Between 1988 and 2006 the province was...
.
Votes and seats won by TULF by electoral district
| Electoral District | Votes | % | Seats | Turnout | TULF MP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Batticaloa Batticaloa Electoral District (1947-1989) Batticaloa Electoral District was an electoral district of Sri Lanka between August 1947 and February 1989. The district was named after the city of Batticaloa in Batticaloa District, Eastern Province. The district was a two-member constituency between March 1960 and February 1989... |
26,648 | 24.70% | 1 | 171.15% | Chelliah Rajadurai |
| Chavakachcheri Chavakacheri Electoral District Chavakacheri Electoral District was an electoral district of Sri Lanka between August 1947 and February 1989. The district was named after the town of Chavakacheri in Jaffna District, Northern Province. Kilinochchi Electoral District was carved out of the southern part of the district in March 1960... |
20,028 | 63.27% | 1 | 85.65% | V. N. Navaratnam V. N. Navaratnam V. N. Navaratnam was a Sri Lankan Tamil politician and Member of Parliament.Navaratnam represented the Chavakacheri constituency in the Sri Lankan Parliament between April 1956 and July 1983, for the Federal Party at first and then the Tamil United Liberation Front .He resigned from Parliament on... |
| Jaffna Jaffna Electoral District (1947-1989) Jaffna Electoral District was an electoral district of Sri Lanka between August 1947 and February 1989. The district was named after the city of Jaffna in Jaffna District, Northern Province. The 1978 Constitution of Sri Lanka introduced the proportional representation electoral system for electing... |
16,251 | 56.62% | 1 | 82.32% | V. Yogeswaran |
| Kalkudah Kalkudah Electoral District Kalkudah Electoral District was an electoral district of Sri Lanka between August 1947 and February 1989. The district was named after the town of Kalkudah in Batticaloa District, Eastern Province. The 1978 Constitution of Sri Lanka introduced the proportional representation electoral system for... |
12,595 | 43.07% | 0 | 86.02% | |
| Kalmunai Kalmunai Electoral District Kalmunai Electoral District was an electoral district of Sri Lanka between August 1947 and February 1989. The district was named after the town of Kalmunai in Ampara District, Eastern Province. The 1978 Constitution of Sri Lanka introduced the proportional representation electoral system for... |
7,093 | 27.38% | 0 | 89.86% | |
| Kankesanthurai Kankesanthurai Electoral District Kankesanthurai Electoral District was an electoral district of Sri Lanka between August 1947 and February 1989. The district was named after the town of Kankesanthurai in Jaffna District, Northern Province. The 1978 Constitution of Sri Lanka introduced the proportional representation electoral... |
31,155 | 85.41% | 1 | 83.08% | A. Amirthalingam |
| Kayts Kayts Electoral District Kayts Electoral District was an electoral district of Sri Lanka between August 1947 and February 1989. The district was named after the island of Kayts in Jaffna District, Northern Province. The 1978 Constitution of Sri Lanka introduced the proportional representation electoral system for electing... |
17,640 | 64.05% | 1 | 75.72% | K. P. Ratnam K. P. Ratnam Kaarthigesar Ponnambalam Ratnam was a Sri Lankan Tamil politician and Member of Parliament.-Early life:Ratnam was born on 10 March 1914 in Velanai on the island of Kayts in northern British Ceylon. He excelled in Tamil language and Tamil literature at school. He became a pundit in 1933 and vidvan... |
| Kilinochchi Kilinochchi Electoral District Kilinochchi Electoral District was an electoral district of Sri Lanka between March 1960 and February 1989. The district was named after the town of Kilinochchi in Kilinochchi District, Northern Province. The district was carved out of the southern part of Chavakacheri Electoral District in March... |
15,607 | 73.42% | 1 | 79.71% | V. Anandasangaree V. Anandasangaree Veerasingham Anandasangaree is a leading Sri Lankan Tamil politician, former Member of Parliament and leader of the Tamil United Liberation Front. He is commonly known as Sangaree... |
| Kopay Kopay Electoral District Kopay Electoral District was an electoral district of Sri Lanka between August 1947 and February 1989. The district was named after the town of Kopay in Jaffna District, Northern Province. The 1978 Constitution of Sri Lanka introduced the proportional representation electoral system for electing... |
25,840 | 77.20% | 1 | 80.03% | S. Kathiravelupillai |
| Manipay | 27,550 | 83.99% | 1 | 79.28% | V. Dharmalingam |
| Mannar Mannar Electoral District Mannar Electoral District was an electoral district of Sri Lanka between August 1947 and February 1989. The district was named after the town of Mannar in Mannar District, Northern Province. The 1978 Constitution of Sri Lanka introduced the proportional representation electoral system for electing... |
15,141 | 51.58% | 1 | 92.40% | P. S. Soosaithasan |
| Mullaitivu Mullaitivu Electoral District Mullaitivu Electoral District was an electoral district of Sri Lanka between July 1977 and February 1989. The district was named after the town of Mullaitivu in Mullaitivu District, Northern Province. The 1978 Constitution of Sri Lanka introduced the proportional representation electoral system for... |
10,261 | 52.36% | 1 | 79.34% | X. M. Sellathambu |
| Mutur Mutur Electoral District Mutur Electoral District was an electoral district of Sri Lanka between August 1947 and February 1989. The district was named after the town of Mutur in Trincomalee District, Eastern Province. The district was a two-member constituency between March 1960 and July 1977... |
7,520 | 27.00% | 0 | 91.65% | |
| Nallur Nallur Electoral District Nallur Electoral District was an electoral district of Sri Lanka between March 1960 and February 1989. The district was named after the town of Nallur in Jaffna District, Northern Province. The district was carved out of the eastern part of Jaffna Electoral District in March 1960... |
29,858 | 89.42% | 1 | 83.05% | M. Sivasithamparam |
| Paddirippu Paddiruppu Electoral District Paddiruppu electoral district was an electoral district of Sri Lanka between August 1947 and February 1989. The district was named after the town of Paddiruppu in Batticaloa District, Eastern Province. The 1978 Constitution of Sri Lanka introduced the proportional representation electoral system... |
15,877 | 49.17% | 1 | 89.92% | P. Ganeshalingam |
| Point Pedro Point Pedro Electoral District Point Pedro Electoral District was an electoral district of Sri Lanka between August 1947 and February 1989. The district was named after the town of Point Pedro in Jaffna District, Northern Province. Udupiddy Electoral District was carved out of the western part of the district in March 1960... |
12,989 | 55.91% | 1 | 81.66% | K. Thurairatnam |
| Pottuvil Pottuvil Electoral District Pottuvil electoral district was an electoral district of Sri Lanka between August 1947 and February 1989. The district was named after the town of Pottuvil in Ampara District, Eastern Province. The district was a two-member constituency between July 1977 and February 1989... |
23,990 | 26.97% | 1 | 179.02% | M. Kanagaratnam |
| Puttalam | 3,268 | 10.52% | 0 | 83.58% | |
| Samanthurai | 8,615 | 34.65% | 0 | 91.04% | |
| Trincomalee Trincomalee Electoral District (1947-1989) Trincomalee electoral district was an electoral district of Sri Lanka between August 1947 and February 1989. The district was named after the city of Trincomalee in Trincomalee District, Eastern Province. The 1978 Constitution of Sri Lanka introduced the proportional representation electoral system... |
15,144 | 51.76% | 1 | 81.78% | R. Sampanthan |
| Udupiddy Udupiddy Electoral District Udupiddy Electoral District was an electoral district of Sri Lanka between March 1960 and February 1989. The district was named after the town of Udupiddy in Jaffna District, Northern Province. The district was carved out of the western part of Point Pedro Electoral District in March 1960... |
18,768 | 63.44% | 1 | 80.05% | T. Rasalingam |
| Vaddukoddai Vaddukoddai Electoral District Vaddukoddai Electoral District was an electoral district of Sri Lanka between August 1947 and February 1989. The district was named after the town of Vaddukoddai in Jaffna District, Northern Province. The 1978 Constitution of Sri Lanka introduced the proportional representation electoral system for... |
23,384 | 70.18% | 1 | 81.90% | T. Thirunavukarasu |
| Vavuniya Vavuniya Electoral District Vavuniya Electoral District was an electoral district of Sri Lanka between August 1947 and February 1989. The district was named after the town of Vavuniya in Vavuniya District, Northern Province. The 1978 Constitution of Sri Lanka introduced the proportional representation electoral system for... |
13,821 | 59.02% | 1 | 82.31% | T. Sivasithamparam |
| Total | 399,043 | 6.40% | 18 | ||
| Source: | |||||
The TULF became the official opposition as result of the rout of the SLFP
Sri Lanka Freedom Party
The Sri Lanka Freedom Party is one of the major political parties in Sri Lanka. It was founded by S.W.R.D Bandaranaike in 1951 and, since then, has been one of the two largest parties in the Sri Lankan political arena. It first came to power in 1956 and since then has been the predominant party in...
. The TULF's success would lead to riots
Sri Lankan riots of 1977
The 1977 riots in Sri Lanka followed the 1977 general elections in Sri Lanka where the Sri Lankan Tamil nationalistic Tamil United Liberation Front won a plurality of minority Sri Lankan Tamil votes in which it stood for secession...
in which hundreds of Tamils were murdered by Sinhala mobs.
Throughout the 1970s and early 1980s, the TULF was frequently blamed by nationalist Sinhalese
Sinhalese people
The Sinhalese are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group,forming the majority of Sri Lanka,constituting 74% of the Sri Lankan population.They number approximately 15 million worldwide.The Sinhalese identity is based on language, heritage and religion. The Sinhalese speak Sinhala, an Indo-Aryan language and the...
politicians for acts of violence committed by militant groups such as the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam was a separatist militant organization formerly based in northern Sri Lanka. Founded in May 1976 by Vellupillai Prabhakaran, it waged a violent secessionist and nationalist campaign to create an independent state in the north and east of Sri Lanka for Tamil...
(LTTE). In fact, the TULF represented an older, more conservative generation of Tamils that felt independence could be achieved without violence, more rival than ally to youth groups like the LTTE who believed in armed conflict.
In October 1983, all the TULF legislators, numbering sixteen at the time, forfeited their seats in Parliament for refusing to swear an oath unconditionally renouncing support for a separate state in accordance with the Sixth Amendment to the Constitution of Sri Lanka.
During the 1980s, the LTTE began to see the TULF as a rival in its desire to be considered the sole representatives of the Tamils of the north and east. Over the next two decades, the LTTE has assassinated several TULF leaders, including A. Amirthalingam and Neelan Thiruchelvam
Neelan Thiruchelvam
Neelan Tiruchelvam was a Sri Lankan Tamil politician and an internationally respected academic. He was assassinated by an LTTE suicide bomber in July 1999....
.
1989 Parliamentary General Election
The TULF formed an alliance with the three IndiaIndia
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n backed paramilitary
Paramilitary
A paramilitary is a force whose function and organization are similar to those of a professional military, but which is not considered part of a state's formal armed forces....
groups, Eelam National Democratic Liberation Front
Eelam National Democratic Liberation Front
The Eelam National Democratic Liberation Front is a former Indian backed Tamil militant group in Sri Lanka. It was formed in 1987 as an amalgamation of splinter groups from other militant groups...
(ENDLF), Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front
Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front
The Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front is a Sri Lankan political party and a former militant separatist group.-Militant separatists:The EPRLF was formed in 1980 by K...
(EPRLF) and Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization
Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization
The Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization is an Eelam Tamil organisation campaigning for the establishment of an independent Tamil Eelam in the northeast of Sri Lanka. The TELO was originally created as a militant group, and functioned as such until 1986, when most of its membership was killed in a...
(TELO), to contest the 15 February 1989 election
Sri Lankan parliamentary election, 1989
Sri Lanka had not had a parliamentary election since 1977. The elections that should normally have been held by 1983 had been cancelled by the 1982 referendum.President Ranasinghe Premadasa called the election for February 15.-Electoral District:...
. The alliance won 3.40% of the popular vote and 10 out of 225 seats in the Sri Lankan parliament.
Votes and seats won by TULF / ENDLF / EPRLF / TULF alliance by electoral district
| Electoral District Electoral districts in Sri Lanka The 1978 Constitution of Sri Lanka provides for the election of members of Parliament from 22 multi-member electoral districts through the proportional representation electoral system.... |
Votes | % | Seats | Turnout | TULF / ENDLF / EPRLF / TELO MPs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Batticaloa Batticaloa Electoral District Batticaloa Electoral District is one of the 22 multi-member electoral districts of Sri Lanka created by the 1978 Constitution of Sri Lanka. The district is conterminous with the administrative district of Batticaloa in the Eastern province... |
55,131 | 35.49% | 3 | 71.74% | Prince Gunarasa Casinader (EPRLF Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front The Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front is a Sri Lankan political party and a former militant separatist group.-Militant separatists:The EPRLF was formed in 1980 by K... ) Govinthan Karunakaram (TELO Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization The Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization is an Eelam Tamil organisation campaigning for the establishment of an independent Tamil Eelam in the northeast of Sri Lanka. The TELO was originally created as a militant group, and functioned as such until 1986, when most of its membership was killed in a... ) Thambimuthu Samuel Pennington Thevarasa (EPRLF Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front The Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front is a Sri Lankan political party and a former militant separatist group.-Militant separatists:The EPRLF was formed in 1980 by K... ), murdered 11 May 1990 Joseph Pararajasingham Joseph Pararajasingham Joseph Pararajasingham was a Sri Lankan Member of Parliament and a poet who was known for his pro-Tamil Tiger views and advocacy of human rights... (TULF), from 1990 (replaces Sam Thambimuthu (EPRLF)) |
| Digamadulla Digamadulla Electoral District Ampara Electoral District is one of the 22 multi-member electoral districts of Sri Lanka created by the 1978 Constitution of Sri Lanka. The district is conterminous with the administrative district of Ampara in the Eastern province... |
43,424 | 20.32% | 1 | 80.41% | Jeyaratnam Thiviya Nadan (EPRLF Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front The Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front is a Sri Lankan political party and a former militant separatist group.-Militant separatists:The EPRLF was formed in 1980 by K... ) |
| Jaffna Jaffna Electoral District Jaffna Electoral District is one of the 22 multi-member electoral districts of Sri Lanka created by the 1978 Constitution of Sri Lanka. The district covers the administrative districts of Jaffna and Kilinochchi in the Northern province... |
60,013 | 25.02% | 3 | 40.50% | Kandiah Navaratnam (EPRLF Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front The Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front is a Sri Lankan political party and a former militant separatist group.-Militant separatists:The EPRLF was formed in 1980 by K... ) Suresh Premachandran (EPRLF Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front The Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front is a Sri Lankan political party and a former militant separatist group.-Militant separatists:The EPRLF was formed in 1980 by K... ) Ganeshankari Yogasangari (EPRLF Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front The Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front is a Sri Lankan political party and a former militant separatist group.-Militant separatists:The EPRLF was formed in 1980 by K... ), murdered 19 June 1990 |
| Vanni | 17,271 | 39.99% | 2 | 30.53% | Raja Kuhaneswaran (TELO Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization The Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization is an Eelam Tamil organisation campaigning for the establishment of an independent Tamil Eelam in the northeast of Sri Lanka. The TELO was originally created as a militant group, and functioned as such until 1986, when most of its membership was killed in a... ) Anthony Emmanuel Silva (EPRLF Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front The Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front is a Sri Lankan political party and a former militant separatist group.-Militant separatists:The EPRLF was formed in 1980 by K... ) |
| National List | 1 | A. Amirthalingam (TULF), murdered 13 July 1989 Mavai Senathirajah (replaces A. Amirthalingam) |
|||
| Total | 188,593 | 3.40% | 10 | 63.6% | |
| Sources: | |||||
1994 Parliamentary General Election
In the 16 August 1994 electionSri Lankan parliamentary election, 1994
The Sri Lankan parliamentary election of 1994 marked the decisive end of 17 years of UNP rule and a revival of Sri Lankan democracy.-Background:Democracy in Sri Lanka had seemed doomed as the presidencies of J.R...
in which the People's Alliance
People's Alliance (Sri Lanka)
The People's Alliance is a front of political parties in Sri Lanka, formed in 1994.It comprises the following parties:* Sri Lanka Freedom Party* Lanka Sama Samaja Party* Communist Party of Sri Lanka* Sri Lanka Mahajana Party...
alliance led by Chandrika Kumaratunga
Chandrika Kumaratunga
Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga born June 29, 1945) was the 4th Executive president of Sri Lanka, serving from November 12, 1994 to November 19, 2005. The daughter of two former Prime Ministers, she was also the leader of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party until end of 2005...
came to power after 17 years of UNP
United National Party
The United National Party, often referred to as the UNP ), , is a political party in Sri Lanka. It currently is the main opposition party in Sri Lanka and is headed by Ranil Wickremesinghe...
rule, the TULF won 1.60% of the popular vote and 5 out of 225 seats in the Sri Lankan parliament.
Votes and seats won by TULF by electoral district
| Electoral District Electoral districts in Sri Lanka The 1978 Constitution of Sri Lanka provides for the election of members of Parliament from 22 multi-member electoral districts through the proportional representation electoral system.... |
Votes | % | Seats | Turnout | TULF MPs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Batticaloa Batticaloa Electoral District Batticaloa Electoral District is one of the 22 multi-member electoral districts of Sri Lanka created by the 1978 Constitution of Sri Lanka. The district is conterminous with the administrative district of Batticaloa in the Eastern province... |
76,516 | 43.95% | 3 | 66.47% | Joseph Pararajasingham Joseph Pararajasingham Joseph Pararajasingham was a Sri Lankan Member of Parliament and a poet who was known for his pro-Tamil Tiger views and advocacy of human rights... P. Selvarasa K. Thurairasasingham |
| Trincomalee Trincomalee Electoral District Trincomalee Electoral District is one of the 22 multi-member electoral districts of Sri Lanka created by the 1978 Constitution of Sri Lanka. The district is conterminous with the administrative district of Trincomalee in the Eastern province... |
28,380 | 23.66% | 1 | 65.15% | A. Thangathurai |
| National List | 1 | Dr. Neelan Tiruchelvam, murdered 29 July 1999 Mavai Senathirajah, from August 1999 (replaces Dr. Neelan Tiruchelvam) |
|||
| Total | 132,461 | 1.60% | 5 | 76.23% | |
| Sources: | |||||
2000 Parliamentary General Election
In the 10 October 2000 electionSri Lankan parliamentary election, 2000
The elections were called by President Chandrika Kumaratunga for October 24, 2000.The People's Alliance government Kumaratunga had led for six years was facing increasing criticism on two fronts: a series of military defeats at the hands of the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in the...
in which the People's Alliance
People's Alliance (Sri Lanka)
The People's Alliance is a front of political parties in Sri Lanka, formed in 1994.It comprises the following parties:* Sri Lanka Freedom Party* Lanka Sama Samaja Party* Communist Party of Sri Lanka* Sri Lanka Mahajana Party...
alliance led by Ratnasiri Wickremanayake
Ratnasiri Wickremanayake
Ratnasiri Wickremanayake MP is a Sri Lankan politician who was Prime Minister of Sri Lanka from 2000 to 2001 and again from 2005 to 2010. He is currently a National List member of the Parliament of Sri Lanka....
retained to power, the TULF won 1.23% of the popular vote and 5 out of 225 seats in the Sri Lankan parliament.
Votes and seats won by TULF by electoral district
| Electoral District Electoral districts in Sri Lanka The 1978 Constitution of Sri Lanka provides for the election of members of Parliament from 22 multi-member electoral districts through the proportional representation electoral system.... |
Votes | % | Seats | Turnout | TULF MPs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Batticaloa Batticaloa Electoral District Batticaloa Electoral District is one of the 22 multi-member electoral districts of Sri Lanka created by the 1978 Constitution of Sri Lanka. The district is conterminous with the administrative district of Batticaloa in the Eastern province... |
54,448 | 29.20% | 2 | 71.74% | Joseph Pararajasingham Joseph Pararajasingham Joseph Pararajasingham was a Sri Lankan Member of Parliament and a poet who was known for his pro-Tamil Tiger views and advocacy of human rights... Nimalan Soundaranayagam |
| Jaffna Jaffna Electoral District Jaffna Electoral District is one of the 22 multi-member electoral districts of Sri Lanka created by the 1978 Constitution of Sri Lanka. The district covers the administrative districts of Jaffna and Kilinochchi in the Northern province... |
32,852 | 27.59% | 3 | 21.32% | V. Anandasangaree V. Anandasangaree Veerasingham Anandasangaree is a leading Sri Lankan Tamil politician, former Member of Parliament and leader of the Tamil United Liberation Front. He is commonly known as Sangaree... Mavai Senathirajah S. Sivamaharajah |
| Trincomalee Trincomalee Electoral District Trincomalee Electoral District is one of the 22 multi-member electoral districts of Sri Lanka created by the 1978 Constitution of Sri Lanka. The district is conterminous with the administrative district of Trincomalee in the Eastern province... |
14,090 | 10.58% | 0 | 68.52% | |
| Vanni | 4,643 | 5.58% | 0 | 42.13% | |
| National List | 0 | ||||
| Total | 106,033 | 1.23% | 5 | 75.62% | |
| Sources: | |||||
2001 Parliamentary General Election
Split
TULF President V. AnandasangareeV. Anandasangaree
Veerasingham Anandasangaree is a leading Sri Lankan Tamil politician, former Member of Parliament and leader of the Tamil United Liberation Front. He is commonly known as Sangaree...
, a critic of the Tamil Tigers, left the Tamil National Alliance
Tamil National Alliance
The Tamil National Alliance is a powerful minority Sri Lankan Tamil political alliance in Sri Lanka. It was formed as an amalgamation of moderate Tamil parties as well as number of former rebel groups...
when it took a pro-Tamil Tigers stance at the 2004 general election
Sri Lankan parliamentary election, 2004
Parliamentary elections were held in Sri Lanka on 2 April 2004. The ruling United National Party of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe was defeated, winning only eighty two seats in the 225-member Sri Lankan parliament. The opposition United People's Freedom Alliance won 105 seats...
. Anandasangaree gained control of the TULF after a legal battle, forcing the TULF members who wanted to remain in the TNA to resurrect the Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi
Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi
Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi is a Sri Lankan political party which represents the Sri Lankan Tamil ethnic minority in the country. It was originally formed in 1949 as breakaway faction of the All Ceylon Tamil Congress...
, which is now a constituent party of the TNA.
2004 Parliamentary General Election
The legal battle over the control of TULF meant that the TULF led by V. Anandasangaree contested as an independent groupIndependent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
and only in one electoral district in the 2 April 2004 parliamentary election
Sri Lankan parliamentary election, 2004
Parliamentary elections were held in Sri Lanka on 2 April 2004. The ruling United National Party of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe was defeated, winning only eighty two seats in the 225-member Sri Lankan parliament. The opposition United People's Freedom Alliance won 105 seats...
, winning 0.06% of the popular vote and no seats in the Sri Lankan parliament.
Votes and seats won by TULF by electoral district
| Electoral District Electoral districts in Sri Lanka The 1978 Constitution of Sri Lanka provides for the election of members of Parliament from 22 multi-member electoral districts through the proportional representation electoral system.... | |Votes | |% | |Seats | |Turnout | |TULF MPs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jaffna Jaffna Electoral District Jaffna Electoral District is one of the 22 multi-member electoral districts of Sri Lanka created by the 1978 Constitution of Sri Lanka. The district covers the administrative districts of Jaffna and Kilinochchi in the Northern province... |
5,156 | 1.82% | 0 | 47.38% | |
| Total | 5,156 | 0.06% | 0 | 75.96% | |
| Source: | |||||
2010 Parliamentary General Election
In the 8 April 2010 parliamentary electionSri Lankan parliamentary election, 2010
The 2010 Sri Lankan parliamentary election was held on April 8 and April 20, 2010, to elect 225 members to Sri Lanka's 14th Parliament. 14,088,500 Sri Lankans were eligible to vote in the election at 11,102 polling stations...
in which the United People's Freedom Alliance
United People's Freedom Alliance
The United People's Freedom Alliance is a political alliance in Sri Lanka. The current leader of the United People's Freedom Alliance is Mahinda Rajapaksa and Susil Premajayantha is the general secretary of UPFA.The alliance was formed by:...
alliance led by President Rajapaksa
Mahinda Rajapaksa
Percy Mahendra "Mahinda" Rajapaksa ; ; born November 18, 1945) is the 6th and current President of Sri Lanka and Commander in Chief of the Sri Lankan Armed Forces. A lawyer by profession, Rajapaksa was first elected to the Parliament of Sri Lanka in 1970, and served as prime minister from April 6,...
retained power, the TULF led by V. Anandasangaree won 0.11% of the popular vote and no seats in the Sri Lankan parliament.
Votes and seats won by TULF by electoral district
| Electoral District Electoral districts in Sri Lanka The 1978 Constitution of Sri Lanka provides for the election of members of Parliament from 22 multi-member electoral districts through the proportional representation electoral system.... | |Votes | |% | |Seats | |Turnout | |TULF MPs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Batticaloa Batticaloa Electoral District Batticaloa Electoral District is one of the 22 multi-member electoral districts of Sri Lanka created by the 1978 Constitution of Sri Lanka. The district is conterminous with the administrative district of Batticaloa in the Eastern province... |
4,424 | 2.45% | 0 | 58.56% | |
| Colombo Colombo Electoral District Colombo electoral district is one of the 22 multi-member electoral districts of Sri Lanka created by the 1978 Constitution of Sri Lanka. The district is conterminous with the administrative district of Colombo in the Western province... |
834 | 0.09% | 0 | 65.03% | |
| Jaffna Jaffna Electoral District Jaffna Electoral District is one of the 22 multi-member electoral districts of Sri Lanka created by the 1978 Constitution of Sri Lanka. The district covers the administrative districts of Jaffna and Kilinochchi in the Northern province... |
2,892 | 1.95% | 0 | 23.33% | |
| Vanni | 1,073 | 1.00% | 0 | 43.89% | |
| Total | 9,223 | 0.11% | 0 | 61.26% | |
| Source: | |||||