TNA says JMC election result did not reflect the real situation in Jaffna

The government has denied the accusations.

The main Tamil party that contested the elections, Tamil National Alliance (TNA) has secured a majority of seats in Vavuniya Urban Council (VUC).

The ruling United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) came third in the VUC winning only two seats.

While the UPFA has won the Jaffna Municipal Council with 13 seats the TNA has come second with eight seats.

A9 opening

The main opposition, United National Party (UNP), has failed to win a single seat in the JMC and the VUC.

TNA leader R Sambanthan, MP, said that opposition supporters were threatened by the ruling party and intimidated due to the prevailing situation in Jaffna.

	Minister denies accusations by the opposition parties

"Fisher folk were told by the ministers that they would only be able to fish in knee deep waters if the ruling coalition was defeated," he told BBC Sinhala service, Sandeshaya.

"Voters were also told to vote the ruling party if they wanted the A9 to be regularly opened".

The UPFA has, meanwhile, secured a sweeping victory at the elections for Uva Provincial Council (UPC).

The opposition Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna that had six seats in the previous administration was only able to secure a single seat on Saturday's elections.

JVP General Secretary, Tilvin Silva, alleged widespread malpractices.

"There was no moral responsibility on the conduct of ruling party candidates," he told BBC Sandeshaya.

Shashindra Rajapaksa, a close relative of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, was the chief ministerial candidate at the UPC elections.

"The government has no reason to celebrate the victory as the election law was grossly violated," Mr. Silva said.

The government has, however, denied the accusations.

Media minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena described the results of UPC election as ‘historic,’ as UPFA was previously defeated in the region.

“Majority of JMC voters are either left the country of living outside Jaffna. The voters in Jaffna were free to cast their vote,” he said.