Bishop Rayappu Joseph of Mannar yesterday said that he and the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) did not want Eelam - a separate state for Tamils.

In his meeting with Common Candidate Maithripala Sirisena yesterday, the Bishop  said that what mattered the most was the well-being of the Tamil minority and not a separate state.

Common Candidate Maithripala Sirisena and several other leaders of the opposition, including former Minister Rishad Bathiudeen and UNP Parliamentarian Ravi Karunanayake met with Mannar Bishop Rayappu Joseph yesterday (30) when they visited the North.

The meeting took place on the same day the TNA pledged support to the Common Candidate.

During the meeting Sirisena pledged that under his rule, the country’s racial harmony will be ensured and the interests of ethnic and religious minorities will be protected.