Pillayan assured Ministerial post

• However, SLPP has informed him that he will receive the post only if he manages to secure bail and is released from prison

By Easwaran Rutnam  

Former LTTE fighter and leader of the Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pullikal (TMVP), Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan alias Pillayan has been assured a Ministerial post if he wins the Parliamentary election.   

Pillayan, who is currently in remand prison, is contesting the polls in the East on the TMVP ticket in some areas and under the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) is some areas.  
Sources close to Pillayan told Daily Mirror that he has been assured a Ministerial post by the SLPP if he is elected to Parliament.  

However, the SLPP has informed him that he will receive the post only if he manages to secure bail and is released from prison.  

Pillayan is currently in remand in the case over the murder of former Tamil National Alliance Parliamentarian Joseph Pararajasingham.   A close associate of Pillayan said that they fear there is an attempt to keep Pillayan behind bars and prevent him from securing a Ministerial post.  

The Attorney General had indicted Pillayan (who is the 03rd accused in above-mentioned case) with six other persons in the High Court of Batticaloa for offences committed under Sections 32, 102, 113[b], 140 & 146 of the Penal Code read with Section 2[1][a] , 2[i] & 3[b] of the Prevention of Terrorism [Temporary Provisions] Act No. 48 of 1979 as amended by Act No. 10 of 1982 and Act No. 22 of 1988 in connection with the killing of former Member of Parliament for Batticaloa District Joseph Pararajasingham..  

“The State counsel has been framing the 3rd accused as ex LTTE leader and suppressing his conversion to democratic path and his immense contribution to defeat terrorism. Since the 3rd accused has been arrested under PTA, he had been refused to be granted bail, remanded up to date. The State counsel making use of each and every single provisions of the PTA to delay the matter in Court of Appeal,” Pillayan’s legal team alleged while speaking to Daily Mirror .