Former Tamil Tigers not to contest elections

Sri Lanka's ruling party has decided not to allow former Tamil Tigers to contest the upcoming northern provincial council election, the media reported Monday.

The election is being held for the first time since a three decade war against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) ended in 2009.

Since crushing the LTTE, the Sri Lankan government has rehabilitated several prominent Tamil Tigers.

Former LTTE spokesman Velayutham Dayanithi alias Daya Master had sought to contest the election in September under the United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) headed by President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

However, the local media citing UPFA sources reported that he would not be given the opportunity to contest the election as a candidate from the ruling party.

Daya Master, a former spokesman of LTTE, last month got membership of the main constituent party of the ruling alliance, Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP).

Around 40 individuals including the LTTE's former women's political wing leader Subramanium Shivathavi alias Thamilinihas have sought candidature of the SLFP for the Northern Provincial Council election.

Media reports say it is unlikely they will be given the chance to contest.