• Gajan Ponnambalam openly objects to united stand call 
• Suresh Premachandran asks why 900,000 Tamil voters cast their ballots in favour of any presidential candidate 

By Kelum Bandara   

New Indian High Commissioner Santosh Jha, in his maiden  interaction with the representatives of the mainstream Tamil parties in  the north recently, is reported to have emphasized the need for them to  have a unified position on their collective demand for a political  solution.  

However, Tamil National People’s Front (TNPF) led by MP  Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam defied it and said his party could not align  with other Tamil parties on this matter.  
India has been consistent that a solution to what is called  ‘Tamil national question’ should be implemented based on the 13th  Amendment to the Constitution introduced consequent to the 1987  Indo-Lanka Accord.   
The Indian High Commissioner reportedly underscored the  importance of having a unified stance on their demand. He said India  stands for the political rights of Tamil people. He also briefed them  about steps being taken by India as a country to help develop the Sri  Lankan economy, including the financial assistance amounting to nearly  US $ 4 billion during the crisis time. He highlighted that key Indian  investments in Sri Lanka are located in the Northern and Eastern Provinces.   

The Indian envoy referred to the Palali Airport, the  implementation of the Trincomalee mega city project and the renewable  energy project on the coast of Mannar.   

Referring to the call for a unified stance on political  rights, Mr. Ponnambalam is reported to have said his party is not for a  solution based on the 13th Amendment. Citing it as something  unworkable, he said he would not agree with his colleagues in other  parties on this matter, and therefore a unified stand would not be  possible.   
The Indian envoy is reported to have said, though differences are all right, it is advisable to have a unified position.   
Former MP Suresh Premachandran who attended the meeting  representing the newly formed Democratic Tamil National Alliance (DTNA)  said there are around 900,000 Tamil votes in the north and the east, and  the Tamil parties should not deliver these votes to any presidential  candidate from the south without a commitment to resolve the Tamil  national question.