Embracing of democratic process As the fighting was ongoing in the east, Karuna Amman made efforts to eventually give up arms and embrace the democratic process. He formed a political party called the
Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP) in 2004, making Chandrakanthan its deputy leader. The TMVP initially opened up two political offices in
Batticaloa and
Colombo. This left Chandrakanthan as the undisputed leader of the TMVP.
Eastern elections Following the clearing of the eastern province of the LTTE, elections were held on 10 March 2008 to elect members to nine local authorities in the eastern
Batticaloa District. Chandrakanthan led the TMVP to wins in all nine bodies in contested in, some of which had not had elections for 14 years. At the elections, Chandrakanthan's father Arumugam Sivaneshathurai was elected as a member of the Koralepattu Pradeshiya Sabha. Following the successful conduction of the elections in Batticaloa, the Government announced it would hold elections to elect members to the Eastern Provincial Council on 10 May. After discussions, the TMVP and the ruling
United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA), the party of President
Mahinda Rajapakse announced on 30 March that they would jointly contest the polls under the UPFA banner. The opposition
United National Party and
Sri Lanka Muslim Congress, the largest
Muslim Party in the country, also formed a coalition to contest the elections, providing the main challenger to the UPFA. Chandrakanthan explained the policies of the TMVP to the international media prior to the EPC elections, stating that the TMVP needed to do better things for Tamil people through political process, rather than involving in an armed struggle to appeal for an independent state for them. While admitting the TMVP still had armed cadres, he stated they were for their protection from the Tamil Tigers, who were yet to be disarmed, and who Chandrakanthan said were "waiting for the opportune time to strike at us and physically liquidate us from the face of this earth." The UPFA went on to win the elections, securing 52% of the popular vote and 20 of the 37 seats in the Provincial Council. Chandrakanthan also won the most preferential votes in the
Batticaloa District.
Chief Ministership After the election, there was a tussle between Chandrakanthan and M.L.A.M. Hizbullah, who was the leading
Muslim candidate in the UPFA as to who should be appointed Chief Minister. On 16 May, after intense discussions, President Mahinda Rajapakse appointed Chandrakanthan as the first ever Chief Minister of the Eastern Province, and he took oaths as Chief Minister in front of the President soon after. Following his appointment as Chief Minister, Chandrakanthan, a
Hindu, visited
Kandy on 18 May to get the blessings of Sri Lanka's most venerable
Buddhist Monks, the Mahanayake Thera's of the Asgiriya and Malwatte chapters. The Theras commended Chandrakanthan for joining the democratic process and leaving arms behind, and urged him to work for national unity. The tension increased between Tamil and Muslim ethnic communities in Kaanththaankudi area of eastern Batticaloa district after killing of 2 TMVP members on 22 May 2008. Chandrakanthan and Minister M.L.A.M. Hizbullah visited the area and resolved the matter by urging the people to live in peacefully. Also Chandrakanthan handed over TMVP members to the Police, who were responsible for abduction of 2 Muslim youths in Eravur on 25 May 2008.
Parliament Minister In 2020 General Election Pillayan received the highest preferential vote in Batticalo and was elected to the parliament. In 2024 presidential elections Pillayan pledged support to
Ranil Wickremesinghe. He lost his seat in the 2024 general election. ==See also==