LG elections and the Northeast: How did they vote?
13/05/2025
By Sri Lanka Brief
As with the receding tide, the ‘Anura wave’ ebbed this election, with his party slipping to second place in the North and East. Regional parties recovered some lost ground and gained control of most local councils.
ITAK’s vote share surged in Jaffna, made significant strides in the Vanni districts, and enjoyed a slight increase in the Eastern province. All Ceylon Tamil Congress (ACTC), which formed an alliance, doubled their vote share in Jaffna, while Democratic Tamil National Alliance (DTNA)’s popularity grew in Vanni districts. Despite the arrest of their leader Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan, alias Pillaiyan, Thamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP) saw minor gains in Batticaloa, while Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) and All Ceylon Makkal Congress (ACMC) maintained their voter base in the Eastern province.
Tamil parties have called the results a reaffirmation of the North’s loyalty to Tamil parties, following the last election when, for the first time in recent history, a national party from the south swept the North and East (except Batticaloa). As with other parts of the country, many of the victories for individual Tamil parties were slim, and few councils saw a clear majority.
ElectionGra (Mimi)
ITAK’s General Secretary M. A. Sumanthiran said that they will work on the principle that whichever Tamil party won the majority in a council should be given the opportunity to form a government with the support of the other Tamil parties. ITAK has already had discussions with the DTNA on the formation of a government and a potential revival of the Tamil National Alliance. “Working with NPP, however, is not really on the cards because we campaigned on the basis that local government should be with the Tamil parties,” said Sumanthiran. “We are the party that called for devolution of power, so if local government is also with the central government party, there is no point.”
NPP won four councils in the Northern province—mostly in the ethnically mixed Vavuniya district—and 14 in the Eastern province. Relative to the parliamentary election, however, this is a significant loss of control.
. “TheDr. Mahendran Thiruvarangan, a lecturer at the University of Jaffna, said that NPP’s popularity declined in large part due to their failure to follow through on their promises to address Tamil issues. “There was a feeling that NPP’s movement on land returns, missing persons, PTA repeal, and release of political prisoners was slow,” he said. “The recent gazette appropriating almost 6000 acres of private lands in the Northern province has created further discontent.”
NPP’s losses in the North and East were, however, relatively minor relative to the large losses they suffered in the South. In fact, Northern districts—Mannar, Kilinochchi, and Mullaitivu—were the only ones that saw a spike in NPP popularity—albeit minuscule. Further, NPP’s popularity declined the least in Vavuniya, Batticaloa, Nuwara Eliya, and Jaffna, with their vote share only reducing by 1-5 percentage points, compared with the national average of 18 percent.
NPP emerged victorious in 18 councils in the North and East. Some of these victories were in Sinhala-majority Pradeshiya Sabhas such as Uhana, Dehiaththakandiya, and Kanthale. Three were in Tamil majority Nanattan, Vavuniya North, and Vavuniya South-Tamil. Many of their victories were slim, and they will have to create coalitions to form a government.
“We are happy because despite heavy anti-NPP campaigning, people trusted us with a large share of their votes in the North and East,” said Fisheries Minister and Northern NPP organizer Ramalingam Chandrasekar. He said the NPP will be open to joining together with individual council members from other parties or independent groups to create a government and resolve the Tamil people’s problems.
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Tamil political parties win 30 out of 34 local government bodies in the North
By Mimi Alphonsus / Sunday Times
The National People’s Power (NPP) has been unable to secure a majority in many local government bodies across the Northern Province.
Northeast. ITAK has won 43 out of 58 councils it contested in the Northeast.
In the Jaffna electoral district, which has 17 local government bodies, the NPP failed to win a majority in any of them.
Jaffna District
The Ilangai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (ITAK) won a majority in the following councils:
– Jaffna Municipal Council
– Delft Pradeshiya Sabha
– Velanai Pradeshiya Sabha
– Valikamam West Pradeshiya Sabha
– Valikamam North Pradeshiya Sabha
– Valikamam South Pradeshiya Sabha
– Valikamam East Pradeshiya Sabha
– Vadamarachchi South Pradeshiya Sabha
– Pedrotuduwa Pradeshiya Sabha
– Chavakachcheri Pradeshiya Sabha
– Nallur Pradeshiya Sabha
– Valikamam South Pradeshiya Sabha
Meanwhile, the All Ceylon Tamil Congress secured majorities in:
– Valvettithurai Municipal Council
– Pedrotuduwa Municipal Council
– Chavakachcheri Municipal Council
Additionally, the Karainagar Pradeshiya Sabha was won by an independent group, while the Kayts Pradeshiya Sabha was won by the Eelam Democratic People’s Party (EDPP).
Kilinochchi District
The Ilangai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (ITAK) secured all three councils in the district:
– Karachi Pradeshiya Sabha
– Poonarin Pradeshiya Sabha
– Pachchilipalai Pradeshiya Sabha
Mullaitivu District
The **Ilangai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (ITAK)** won all four councils:
– Pudukudiyirippu Pradeshiya Sabha
– Mudubadapattu Pradeshiya Sabha
– Thunukkai Pradeshiya Sabha
– Manthai East Pradeshiya Sabha
Vavuniya District
The district has five local government bodies, with the following results:
– The Tamil People’s Democratic Alliance won the Vavuniya Municipal Council.
– The Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) secured the Vengalachettikulam Pradeshiya Sabha.
– The National Jana Balawegaya (NJB) won the Vavuniya South Sinhala, Vavuniya South Tamil, and Vavuniya North Pradeshiya Sabhas.
Mannar District
Out of five councils in the Mannar district:
– Ilangai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (ITAK) won the Mannar Municipal Council and Manthai West Pradeshiya Sabha.
– Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) secured the Mannar Pradeshiya Sabha and Musali Pradeshiya Sabha.
– The National Jana Balawegaya (NJB) claimed the Nanattan Pradeshiya Sabha.
ITAK Dominates Northern Province
In total, there are 34 local government bodies in the Northern Province, and Ilangai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (ITAK) secured a majority in 21 of them.
Other results:
– National People’s Power (NPP): 4 local government bodies ( NPP won 3 LG bodies in Vavuniya but in two bodies, Tamil parties hold the majority seats)
– All Ceylon Tamil Congress: 3 local government bodies
– United People’s Force: 3 local government bodies
– Independent group: 1 local government body
– Eelam Democratic People’s Party (EDPP): 1 local government body
– Tamil People’s Democratic Alliance: 1 local government body
Shifting Political Landscape
In the 2024 parliamentary election, the National People’s Force secured:
– 3 out of 6 seats in Jaffna
– 2 out of 6 seats in Wanni
– 2 out of 4 seats in Trincomalee
– 1 seat in Batticaloa
– 4 seats in Digamadulla
The Tamil National Alliance (TNA), which previously dominated Northern Province politics, saw its influence diminish after the 2024 General Elections, marking a significant political shift in the region.
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