It appears to me that the TNA and TULF might have got more of the Tamil votes than EPDP in Jaffna.
Out of 13 seats for the UPFA, 4 have gone to Muslims candidates. 9 are from EPDP.
A Northern Displaced Muslim friend of mine says that 3000 votes were cast by the displaced Muslims living in Puttalam (If anyone has a better/accurate number i am willing to correct myself on this). Moulavi Sufiyan of Independent Group 1 himself polled around 1100 votes. The rest went to UPFA.
Total number of votes polled by UPFA is 10,000. If you subtract the Muslim votes from the 10,000 only about 8000 votes have gone to the EPDP from Jaffna Tamil residents. (i substract only 2000 since about 1000 have gone to the Moulavi) TNA has then got almost the equivalent number of votes that EPDP polled- 8000 – from Jaffna Tamil residents. Add to this TULF’s votes that’s 9000 votes. More than actually what EPDP received. This also reduces the number of Jaffna MC Tamil residents who have actually voted from 20,000 to around 17,000.
Remedius, TNA’s Mayoral Candidate has topped the preferential votes (4,233 votes). That is 1000 votes more than the second on the preferential list (an EPDP candidate). UPFA’s Mayoral Candidate Theyvendran didnt get enough preferential votes to be elected.
It is also no secret that most of the 3000 resettled from the Jaffna IDP camps on the 5th of August were from Kurunagar. A key constituency for the EPDP. This link is from EPDP’s Official site:Â http://epdpnews.com/news.php?id=4130&ln=tamil
No wonder EPDP Leader Social Services and Social Welfare Minister Douglas Devananda has told Daily Mirror that he is disappointed with the results. He has told the local newspapers that it was a loss in Jaffna and a heavy one in Vavuniya.