Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi Federal Party இலங்கைத் தமிழர்சுக் கட்சி | |
|---|---|
| Leader | S. Shritharan |
| President | S. Shritharan |
| Senior Vice Presidents | P. Selvarasa S. Sittampalam |
| General Secretary | M. A. Sumanthiran |
| Treasurer | S. Thiyagarajah |
| Founder | S. J. V. Chelvanayakam, C. Vanniasingam, E. M. V. Naganathan |
| Founded | 18 December 1949 (1949-12-18) |
| Split from | All Ceylon Tamil Congress |
| Headquarters | 30 Martin Road,Jaffna |
| Ideology | Tamil nationalism |
| National affiliation | Tamil National Alliance (2001–2024) Tamil United Liberation Front (1972–2004) |
| Colors | Yellow |
| Parliament | 8 / 225 |
| Local Government | 377 / 7,842 |
| Election symbol | |
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| Party flag | |
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| Website | |
| www | |
Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (ITAK;lit. 'Sri Lanka Tamil State Party';Tamil:இலங்கைத் தமிழரசுக் கட்சி,Sinhala:ඉලංගෙයි තමිළ් අරසු කච්චි) is aSri Lankan political party which represents theSri Lankan Tamil minority in the country. It was originally founded in 1949 as a breakaway faction of theAll Ceylon Tamil Congress (ACTC). In 1972, ITAK merged with the ACTC andCeylon Workers' Congress (CWC) to form theTamil United Front, which later changed its name to theTamil United Liberation Front (TULF). ITAK remained dormant until 2004 when a split in the TULF resulted in ITAK being re-established as an active political party.[1] ITAK was the main constituent party of theTamil National Alliance from 2004 until its dissolution in 2024. As of2024, the party is the largest Tamil party inParliament and the third-largest overall, after theNational People's Power and theSamagi Jana Balawegaya.[2]
ITAK was founded in late 1949 by threeCeylon Tamil parliamentarians,S. J. V. Chelvanayakam,C. Vanniasingam and SenatorE. M. V. Naganathan, who had withdrawn fromG. G. Ponnambalam's ACTC over the latter's decision to enter theUnited National Party (UNP) government ofD. S. Senanayke.[3] ITAK was commonly known as theFederal Party (FP) inEnglish.[4][5]
Policies adopted by successive Sri Lankan governments, and the 1956 success of the Sinhalese nationalist government underS. W. R. D. Bandaranaike, made the FP the main voice of Sri Lankan Tamil politics.[6] Increased racial and political tension between the country's ethnic groups led three political parties representing the ethnic minorities (FP, ACTC and the CWC) to form theTamil United Front (TUF) in 1972. The TUF became increasingly nationalistic and by 1976 it had renamed itself as theTamil United Liberation Front and was advocating an independentTamil state. The CWC subsequently left the TULF.
The TULF became the first Tamil nationalist party to run on a separatist platform in the1977 election. It gained a majority of the votes in the north and east, won 18 seats, and became the largest opposition party in parliament.[7] As Tamil nationalism turned violent andcivil war broke out, the TULF remained the moderate face of Tamil politics. It became the target of nationalists on both sides and many of its leaders were assassinated.
In 2001, the TULF formed a political alliance, theTamil National Alliance (TNA), with other moderate Tamil parties as well as a number of formermilitant groups. The TNA contested the2001 parliamentary election under the TULF name and won 15 seats.[8] Subsequently, the TNA began to make a more pro–Tamil Tiger stance, recognising the Tigers as the sole representative of the Sri Lankan Tamils. This caused a split within the TULF. This meant some members of the TULF, led by its PresidentV. Anandasangaree, were opposed to the Tigers. Anandasangaree refused to allow the TNA to use the TULF's name during the2004 parliamentary election.[9] This caused the members of TULF who wished to remain with the TNA to resurrect the Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi name. ITAK is a registered political party and the TNA has contested all elections since the 2004 parliamentary election under the ITAK name.
In the first general election contested by ITAK, the1952 election in which theUNP increased its stranglehold on power, ITAK won 1.9% of the popular vote and 2 out of 95 seats in theSri Lankan parliament. The ACTC won four seats.
In the1956 election in which theSLFP-led leftist coalition swept to power, ITAK won 5.39% of the popular vote and 10 out of 95 seats in theSri Lankan parliament. The ACTC won just one seat. ITAK became the dominant party in the Tamil districts and remained so for two decades.
Votes and seats won by ITAK by electoral district
| Electoral District | Votes | % | Seats | Turnout | ITAK MP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Batticaloa | 9,300 | 52.05% | 1 | 61.57% | Chelliah Rajadurai |
| Chavakachcheri | 15,952 | 64.77% | 1 | 69.14% | V. N. Navaratnam |
| Jaffna | 7,173 | 32.56% | 0 | 63.72% | |
| Kalkudah | 4,555 | 28.31% | 0 | 60.80% | |
| Kalmunai | 9,464 | 47.80% | 1 | 71.78% | M. S. Kariapper |
| Kankesanthurai | 14,855 | 54.30% | 1 | 67.55% | S. J. V. Chelvanayakam |
| Kayts | 16,308 | 71.19% | 1 | 71.26% | V. A. Kandiah |
| Kopay | 12,804 | 53.83% | 1 | 69.90% | C. Vanniasingam |
| Mannar | 6,726 | 53.12% | 1 | 80.70% | V. A. Alegacone |
| Paddirippu | 9,422 | 49.72% | 0 | 74.17% | |
| Point Pedro | 5,859 | 20.70% | 0 | 64.17% | |
| Pottuvil | 8,355 | 52.46% | 1 | 63.81% | M. M. Mustapha |
| Trincomalee | 7,048 | 56.88% | 1 | 77.36% | N. R. Rajavarothiam |
| Vaddukoddai | 14,937 | 57.92% | 1 | 72.78% | A. Amirthalingam |
| Total | 142,758 | 5.39% | 10 | ||
| Source:Department of ElectionsArchived 11 February 2021 at theWayback Machine | |||||
ITAK's uncompromising stand on Tamil rights earned it the enmity of nationalistSinhalese. In response to theSinhala Only Act of 1956, ITAK MPs staged asatyagraha protest, but it was violently broke up by a Sinhalese mob. ITAK was blamed for the1958 riots and banned briefly.
Unlike the Left parties, which opposed anything but full parity for the Tamil language, ITAK agreed to compromise and accepted the 1958 the Tamil Language (Special Provisions) Act in accordance with theBandaranaike–Chelvanayakam Pact.
In theMarch 1960 election in which theUNP became the largest party, ITAK won 5.80% of the popular vote and 15 out of 151 seats in theSri Lankan parliament.
Votes and seats won by ITAK by electoral district
| Electoral District | Votes | % | Seats | Turnout | ITAK MP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Batticaloa | 28,309 | 47.62% | 1 | 159.67% | Chelliah Rajadurai |
| Chavakachcheri | 13,907 | 65.26% | 1 | 83.20% | V. N. Navaratnam |
| Jaffna | 5,101 | 29.35% | 0 | 71.91% | |
| Kalkudah | 7,318 | 48.51% | 1 | 83.46% | P. Manicavasagam |
| Kalmunai | 5,520 | 39.67% | 0 | 79.41% | |
| Kankesanthurai | 13,545 | 67.61% | 1 | 71.22% | S. J. V. Chelvanayakam |
| Kayts | 10,820 | 56.61% | 1 | 75.34% | V. A. Kandiah |
| Kilinochchi | 3,741 | 41.76% | 1 | 64.89% | A. Sivasunderam |
| Kopay | 10,279 | 48.63% | 1 | 77.13% | M. Balasundaram |
| Mannar | 6,463 | 47.37% | 1 | 81.31% | V. A. Alegacone |
| Mutur | 10,685 | 26.73% | 1 | 144.20% | T. Ahambaram |
| Nallur | 9,651 | 49.36% | 1 | 73.12% | E. M. V. Naganathan |
| Paddirippu | 10,799 | 62.36% | 1 | 89.91% | S. M. Rasamanickam |
| Point Pedro | 5,679 | 40.34% | 1 | 73.33% | K. Thurairatnam |
| Trincomalee | 8,872 | 71.43% | 1 | 65.96% | N. R. Rajavarothiam |
| Udupiddy | 3,860 | 18.19% | 0 | 74.84% | |
| Uduvil | 9,033 | 44.07% | 1 | 75.92% | V. Dharmalingam |
| Vaddukoddai | 11,524 | 53.52% | 1 | 75.37% | A. Amirthalingam |
| Vavuniya | 1,338 | 10.78% | 0 | 67.76% | |
| Total | 176,444 | 5.80% | 15 | ||
| Source:Department of ElectionsArchived 11 February 2021 at theWayback Machine | |||||
In theJuly 1960 election in which theSLFP became the largest party, ITAK won 7.0% of the popular vote and 16 out of 151 seats in theSri Lankan parliament.
In the1965 election in which theUNP became the largest party, ITAK won 5.38% of the popular vote and 14 out of 151 seats in the Sri Lankan parliament.
Votes and seats won by ITAK by electoral district
| Electoral District | Votes | % | Seats | Turnout | ITAK MP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Batticaloa | 29,023 | 43.47% | 1 | 150.59% | Chelliah Rajadurai |
| Chavakachcheri | 16,316 | 69.41% | 1 | 77.92% | V. N. Navaratnam |
| Jaffna | 6,800 | 30.81% | 0 | 77.76% | |
| Kalkudah | 6,096 | 35.22% | 0 | 72.70% | |
| Kalmunai | 6,235 | 32.69% | 0 | 86.07% | |
| Kankesanthurai | 14,735 | 58.24% | 1 | 72.42% | S. J. V. Chelvanayakam |
| Kayts | 13,558 | 69.98% | 1 | 61.49% | V. Navaratnam |
| Kilinochchi | 5,922 | 44.69% | 1 | 71.33% | K. P. Ratnam |
| Kopay | 12,339 | 51.93% | 1 | 72.90% | S. Kathiravelupillai |
| Mannar | 6,896 | 39.52% | 1 | 82.04% | V. A. Alegacone |
| Mutur | 20,237 | 35.64% | 1 | 150.92% | M. E. H. Mohamed Ali |
| Nallur | 10,301 | 45.05% | 1 | 72.03% | E. M. V. Naganathan |
| Paddirippu | 11,270 | 51.50% | 1 | 85.23% | S. M. Rasamanickam |
| Point Pedro | 7,564 | 46.24% | 1 | 71.62% | K. Thurairatnam |
| Pottuvil | 871 | 4.53% | 0 | 82.26% | |
| Trincomalee | 9,651 | 48.48% | 1 | 73.00% | S. M. Manickarajah |
| Udupiddy | 8,452 | 32.85% | 0 | 75.47% | |
| Uduvil | 11,638 | 48.61% | 1 | 72.80% | V. Dharmalingam |
| Vaddukoddai | 15,498 | 60.78% | 1 | 69.83% | A. Amirthalingam |
| Vavuniya | 4,512 | 25.05% | 0 | 73.45% | |
| Total | 217,914 | 5.38% | 14 | ||
| Source:Department of ElectionsArchived 11 February 2021 at theWayback Machine | |||||
In the1970 election in which theSLFP-ledUnited Front coalition won a landslide, ITAK won 4.92% of the popular vote and 13 out of 151 seats in theSri Lankan parliament.
Votes and seats won by ITAK by electoral district
| Electoral District | Votes | % | Seats | Turnout | ITAK MP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Batticaloa | 27,661 | 33.17% | 1 | 164.35% | Chelliah Rajadurai |
| Chavakachcheri | 15,473 | 54.49% | 1 | 86.11% | V. N. Navaratnam |
| Jaffna | 8,848 | 35.59% | 1 | 79.89% | C. X. Martyn |
| Kalkudah | 8,420 | 37.97% | 0 | 83.59% | |
| Kalmunai | 4,960 | 23.00% | 0 | 87.77% | |
| Kankesanthurai | 13,520 | 44.29% | 1 | 81.03% | S. J. V. Chelvanayakam |
| Kayts | 13,079 | 53.35% | 1 | 76.88% | K. P. Ratnam |
| Kilinochchi | 8,392 | 46.55% | 0 | 76.03% | |
| Kopay | 16,428 | 43.92% | 1 | 79.01% | S. Kathiravelupillai |
| Mannar | 10,697 | 48.98% | 1 | 86.34% | V. A. Alegacone |
| Mutur | 19,787 | 25.87% | 1 | 174.73% | A. Thangathurai |
| Nallur | 12,508 | 44.61% | 0 | 78.69% | |
| Paddirippu | 12,723 | 48.76% | 0 | 90.45% | |
| Point Pedro | 9,217 | 48.50% | 1 | 79.52% | K. Thurairatnam |
| Trincomalee | 12,395 | 45.83% | 1 | 76.61% | B. Neminathan |
| Udupiddy | 12,918 | 46.54% | 1 | 80.41% | Kandappa Jeyakody |
| Uduvil | 14,120 | 49.27% | 1 | 78.43% | V. Dharmalingam |
| Vaddukoddai | 13,634 | 48.71% | 0 | 78.67% | |
| Vavuniya | 10,947 | 42.99% | 1 | 80.82% | X. M. Sellathambu |
| Total | 245,727 | 4.92% | 13 | ||
| Source:Department of ElectionsArchived 11 February 2021 at theWayback Machine | |||||
In the first general election contested by the TULF, the21 July 1977 election in which theUNP won by a landslide, the TULF won 6.40% of the popular vote and 18 out of 168 seats in theSri Lankan parliament, including all 14 seats in theNorthern Province.
Votes and seats won by TULF by electoral district
| Electoral District | Votes | % | Seats | Turnout | TULF MP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Batticaloa | 26,648 | 24.70% | 1 | 171.15% | Chelliah Rajadurai |
| Chavakachcheri | 20,028 | 63.27% | 1 | 85.65% | V. N. Navaratnam |
| Jaffna | 16,251 | 56.62% | 1 | 82.32% | V. Yogeswaran |
| Kalkudah | 12,595 | 43.07% | 0 | 86.02% | |
| Kalmunai | 7,093 | 27.38% | 0 | 89.86% | |
| Kankesanthurai | 31,155 | 85.41% | 1 | 83.08% | A. Amirthalingam |
| Kayts | 17,640 | 64.05% | 1 | 75.72% | K. P. Ratnam |
| Kilinochchi | 15,607 | 73.42% | 1 | 79.71% | V. Anandasangaree |
| Kopay | 25,840 | 77.20% | 1 | 80.03% | S. Kathiravelupillai |
| Manipay | 27,550 | 83.99% | 1 | 79.28% | V. Dharmalingam |
| Mannar | 15,141 | 51.58% | 1 | 92.40% | P. S. Soosaithasan |
| Mullaitivu | 10,261 | 52.36% | 1 | 79.34% | X. M. Sellathambu |
| Mutur | 7,520 | 27.00% | 0 | 91.65% | |
| Nallur | 29,858 | 89.42% | 1 | 83.05% | M. Sivasithamparam |
| Paddirippu | 15,877 | 49.17% | 1 | 89.92% | P. Ganeshalingam |
| Point Pedro | 12,989 | 55.91% | 1 | 81.66% | K. Thurairatnam |
| Pottuvil | 23,990 | 26.97% | 1 | 179.02% | M. Kanagaratnam |
| Puttalam | 3,268 | 10.52% | 0 | 83.58% | |
| Sammanthurai | 8,615 | 34.65% | 0 | 91.04% | |
| Trincomalee | 15,144 | 51.76% | 1 | 81.78% | R. Sampanthan |
| Udupiddy | 18,768 | 63.44% | 1 | 80.05% | T. Rasalingam |
| Vaddukoddai | 23,384 | 70.18% | 1 | 81.90% | T. Thirunavukarasu |
| Vavuniya | 13,821 | 59.02% | 1 | 82.31% | T. Sivasithamparam |
| Total | 399,043 | 6.40% | 18 | ||
| Source:[10] | |||||
The TULF became the official opposition as result of the rout of theSLFP. The TULF's success would lead toriots in which hundreds ofTamils were murdered bySinhalese mobs.
Throughout the 1970s and early 1980s, the TULF was frequently blamed by nationalistSinhalese politicians for acts of violence committed bymilitant groups such as theLiberation 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 assassinated several TULF leaders, includingA. Amirthalingam andNeelan Thiruchelvam.
The TULF formed an alliance with the threeIndian backedparamilitary groups,Eelam National Democratic Liberation Front (ENDLF),Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front (EPRLF) andTamil Eelam Liberation Organization (TELO), to contest the15 February 1989 election. The alliance won 3.40% of the popular vote and 10 out of 225 seats in theSri Lankan parliament.
Votes and seats won by TULF / ENDLF / EPRLF / TULF alliance by electoral district
| Electoral District | Votes | % | Seats | Turnout | TULF / ENDLF / EPRLF / TELO MPs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Batticaloa | 55,131 | 35.49% | 3 | 71.74% | Prince Gunarasa Casinader (EPRLF) Govinthan Karunakaram (TELO) Samuel Pennington Thavarasa Tambimuttu (EPRLF), murdered 11 May 1990 Joseph Pararajasingham (TULF), from 1990 (replaces Sam Tambimuttu (EPRLF)) |
| Digamadulla | 43,424 | 20.32% | 1 | 80.41% | Jeyaratnam Thiviya Nadan (EPRLF) |
| Jaffna | 60,013 | 25.02% | 3 | 40.50% | Kandiah Navaratnam (EPRLF) Suresh Premachandran (EPRLF) Ganeshankari Yogasangari (EPRLF), murdered 19 June 1990 |
| Vanni | 17,271 | 39.99% | 2 | 30.53% | Raja Kuhaneswaran (TELO) Anthony Emmanuel Silva (EPRLF) |
| National List | 1 | A. Amirthalingam (TULF), murdered 13 July 1989 Mavai Senathirajah (replaces A. Amirthalingam) | |||
| Total | 188,593 | 3.40% | 10 | 63.6% | |
| Sources:[11][12] | |||||
In the16 August 1994 election in which thePeople's Alliance led byChandrika Kumaratunga came to power after 17 years ofUNP rule, the TULF won 1.60% of the popular vote and 5 out of 225 seats in theSri Lankan parliament.
Votes and seats won by TULF by electoral district
| Electoral District | Votes | % | Seats | Turnout | TULF MPs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Batticaloa | 76,516 | 43.95% | 3 | 66.47% | Joseph Pararajasingham P. Selvarasa K. Thurairasasingham |
| Trincomalee | 28,380 | 23.66% | 1 | 65.15% | A. Thangathurai |
| National List | 1 | Neelan Tiruchelvam, murdered 29 July 1999 Mavai Senathirajah, from August 1999 (replaces Neelan Tiruchelvam) | |||
| Total | 132,461 | 1.60% | 5 | 76.23% | |
| Sources:[13][14] | |||||
In the10 October 2000 election in which thePeople's Alliance led byRatnasiri Wickremanayake retained to power, the TULF won 1.23% of the popular vote and 5 out of 225 seats in theSri Lankan parliament.
Votes and seats won by TULF by electoral district
| Electoral District | Votes | % | Seats | Turnout | TULF MPs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Batticaloa | 54,448 | 29.20% | 2 | 71.74% | Joseph Pararajasingham Nimalan Soundaranayagam |
| Jaffna | 32,852 | 27.59% | 3 | 21.32% | V. Anandasangaree Mavai Senathirajah Sinnathamby Sivamaharajah |
| Trincomalee | 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:[15][16][17] | |||||
In the first parliamentary election contested by theTamil National Alliance, the5 December 2001 election, the TNA led byRajavarothiam Sampanthan won 3.88% of the popular vote and 15 out of 225 seats in theSri Lankan parliament.
Votes and seats won by TNA by electoral district
| Electoral District | Votes | % | Seats | Turnout | TNA MPs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ampara | 48,789 | 17.41% | 1 | 82.51% | A. Chandranehru (TULF) |
| Batticaloa | 86,284 | 48.17% | 3 | 68.20% | G. Krishnapillai (ACTC) Joseph Pararajasingham (TULF) Thambiraja Thangavadivel (TELO) |
| Colombo | 12,696 | 1.20% | 0 | 76.31% | |
| Jaffna | 102,324 | 54.84% | 6 | 31.14% | V. Anandasangaree (TULF) Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam (ACTC) Nadarajah Raviraj (TULF) Mavai Senathirajah (TULF) M. K. Shivajilingam (TELO) A. Vinayagamoorthy (ACTC) |
| Trincomalee | 56,121 | 34.83% | 1 | 79.88% | R. Sampanthan (TULF) |
| Vanni | 41,950 | 44.39% | 3 | 46.77% | Selvam Adaikalanathan (TELO) Sivasakthy Ananthan (EPRLF) Irasa Kuhaneswaran (TELO) |
| National List | 1 | M. Sivasithamparam (TULF), died 5 June 2002 K. Thurairetnasingam (TULF) (replacesM. Sivasithamparam) | |||
| Total | 348,164 | 3.88% | 15 | 76.03% | |
| Source:"Parliamentary General Election 2001, Final District Results". Department of Elections, Sri Lanka. | |||||
In the2 April 2004 parliamentary election in which theUnited People's Freedom Alliance led byPresident Kumaratunga came to power, theTamil National Alliance led byRajavarothiam Sampanthan won 6.84% of the popular vote and 22 out of 225 seats in theSri Lankan parliament.
Votes and seats won by TNA by electoral district
In the2010 Sri Lankan parliamentary election, in which theUnited People's Freedom Alliance , led byMahinda Rajapaksa, retained power, theTamil National Alliance, led byRajavarothiam Sampanthan, won 2.9% of the popular vote and 14 out of 225 seats in theSri Lankan parliament.
Votes and seats won by the TNA by electoral district
| Electoral District | Votes | % | Seats | Turnout | TNA MPs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ampara | 26,895 | 10.47% | 1 | 64.74% | Podiappuhamy Piyasena |
| Batticaloa | 66,235 | 36.67% | 3 | 58.56% | P. Ariyanethiran (ITAK) P. Selvarasa (ITAK) S. Yogeswaran (ITAK) |
| Jaffna | 65,119 | 43.85% | 5 | 23.33% | Suresh Premachandran (EPRLF) E. Saravanapavan (ITAK) Mavai Senathirajah (ITAK) S. Sritharan (ITAK) A. Vinayagamoorthy |
| Trincomalee | 33,268 | 23.81% | 1 | 62.20% | R. Sampanthan (ITAK) |
| Vanni | 41,673 | 38.96% | 3 | 43.89% | Selvam Adaikalanathan (TELO) Sivasakthy Ananthan (EPRLF) Vino Noharathalingam (TELO) |
| National List | 1 | M. A. Sumanthiran (ITAK) | |||
| Total | 233,190 | 2.90% | 14 | 61.26% | |
| Source:"Parliamentary General Election – 2010". Department of Elections, Sri Lanka. | |||||
| Election | Leader | Votes | Seats | Result | Ref | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | +/– | % | ||||
| 2024 | S. Shritharan | 257,813 | 2.37% | 8 / 225 |  8 | 24.00% | Opposition | [18] |
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