MP says President sought his help to get in touch with the LTTE before polls

Leader of the Western Peoples Front (WPF), Mano Ganeshan, made the accusation after he was questioned for nearly six hours by the anti-terror police in Colombo.

Speaking with BBC Sandeshaya after being questioned by Terrorist Investigation Division (TID) he said police focused on whether he maintained close links with the Tamil Tigers, a charge he categorically denied.

However, several parliamentarians of the ruling party approached him to "get the LTTE to boycott the presidential election held in 2005 November".

I turned down the request made by Basil Rajapaksa and the late Jeyaraj Fernandopulle, saying that I don't have any shady deals with the LTTE Mano Ganeshan, MP

"I turned down the request made by Basil Rajapaksa and the late Jeyaraj Fernandopulle, saying that I don't have any shady deals with the LTTE," added parliamentarian Ganesan.

Mahinda Rajapaksa won the 2005 presidential election with a thin majority after Tamils in the north boycott the elections.

The main opposition and a breakaway faction of the ruling party accused Mr. Rajapaksa of offering Rs. millions for the LTTE to force Tamil people to boycott the elections.

The government denied the accusations but a parliamentary select committee was appointed to look into the allegations.