The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) today pledged support to Common Candidate Maithripala Sirisena.

Addressing a special press conference in Colombo, TNA Leader R. Sampanthan said the party has decided to support the campaign of the common opposition at the forthcoming presidential election. The press conference was attended by several senior leaders of the TNA including Parliamentarian R. Sampanthan. 

The announcement was made ahead of the Common Candidate's visit to Jaffna where he would hold several election meetings.

With this move, the Common Candidate has got the support of the two largest minority parties in the country, the TNA and the SLMC. 

The TNA has already started a house to house campaign in the North, urging people to cast their votes at the presidential election. The Global Tamil Forum, a Tamil Diaspora organization, has also requested the Tamils in the North to exercise their franchise.

At the last presidential election, the TNA openly supported former Army Commander Sarath Fonseka, Common Candidate of the opposition who also contested from the New Democratic Front. Fonseka, who lost the election by nearly 1.8 million votes,  had a resounding majority from the Northern province in 2010.