Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam
Gajendrakumar Gangaser Ponnambalam (Tamil: கஜேந்திரகுமார் காங்கேசர் பொன்னம்பலம்; born 16 January 1974) is a Sri Lankan Tamil lawyer, politician and former Member of Parliament. He is the leader of the All Ceylon Tamil Congress (ACTC), a member of the Tamil National People's Front (TNPF).[1]
Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam | |
---|---|
கஜேந்திரகுமார் பொன்னம்பலம் | |
Member of the Sri Lankan Parliament for Jaffna District | |
In office 2001–2010 | |
Personal details | |
Born | 16 January 1974 |
Political party | All Ceylon Tamil Congress |
Other political affiliations | Tamil National People's Front |
Alma mater | SOAS, University of London |
Profession | Lawyer |
Ethnicity | Sri Lankan Tamil |
Early life and family
Ponnambalam was born on 16 January 1974.[2] He is the son of Kumar Ponnambalam and grandson of G. G. Ponnambalam, leading Tamil politicians.[3][4] He was educated at Royal College, Colombo and the Colombo International School.[3][5] After school he joined SOAS, University of London, graduating with a LL.B. degree in 1995.[3][5]
Career
Ponnambalam qualified as a barrister-at-law from Lincoln's Inn and was called to the bar of England and Wales in 1997.[3] Returning to Sri Lanka, he qualified as an attorney-at-law and was called to the bar of Sri Lanka in 1999.[3]
Ponnambalam entered politics following the assassination of his father on 5 January 2000.[3] On 20 October 2001 the All Ceylon Tamil Congress (ACTC), Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front, Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization and Tamil United Liberation Front formed the Tamil National Alliance (TNA).[6][7] Ponnambalam contested the 2001 parliamentary election as one of the TNA's candidates in Jaffna District. He was elected and entered Parliament.[8] He was re-elected at the 2004 parliamentary election.[9] In March 2010 Ponnambalam, along with fellow TNA MPs S. Kajendran and Pathmini Sithamparanathan, left the TNA and formed the Tamil National People's Front (TNPF).[10][11]
Ponnambalam contested the 2010 parliamentary election as one of the TNPF's candidates in Jaffna District but the TNPF failed to win any seats in Parliament.[12][13] In February 2011 Ponnambalam became one of the vice-presidents of the TNPF.[14] He contested the 2015 parliamentary election as one of the TNPF's candidates in Jaffna District but again the TNPF failed to win any seats in Parliament.[15][16]
Electoral history
Election | Constituency | Party | Votes | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
2001 parliamentary[8] | Jaffna District | TNA | 29,641 | Elected |
2004 parliamentary[9] | Jaffna District | TNA | 60,770 | Elected |
2010 parliamentary | Jaffna District | TNPF | Not elected | |
2015 parliamentary | Jaffna District | TNPF | Not elected |
References
- "Kumar Ponnambalam memorial held in Vavuniya". Tamil Guardian. 9 January 2014.
- "Directory of Past Members: G. G. Ponnambalam". Parliament of Sri Lanka.
- Jeyaraj, D. B. S. (4 August 2015). "Tiger Diaspora backs Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam". Daily Mirror.
- "Gajendrakumar threatened". Ceylon Today. 3 May 2013.
- "We suspected the PA government – Gajen". The Sunday Leader. 30 December 2001.
- Jeyaraj, D. B. S. "Tamil National Alliance enters critical third phase – 1". Daily Mirror. Archived from the original on 4 April 2010.
- "Tamil parties sign MOU". TamilNet. 20 October 2001.
- "General Election 2001 Preferences" (PDF). Department of Elections, Sri Lanka. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2010.
- "General Election 2004 Preferences" (PDF). Department of Elections, Sri Lanka. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2010.
- Jeyaraj, D. B. S. (17 April 2010). "T.N.A. Performs creditably in parliamentary elections". Daily Mirror. Archived from the original on 28 April 2010.
- "Tamil National Peoples Front launched in Jaffna". TamilNet. 1 March 2010.
- "PART I : SECTION (I) – GENERAL Government Notifications THE PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS ACT, No. 1 OF 1981 Notice Under Section 24(1) GENERAL ELECTIONS OF MEMBERS OF THE PARLIAMENT" (PDF). The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka Extraordinary. 1643/07. 2 March 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 November 2014. Retrieved 6 September 2015.
- "Parliamentary General Election – 2010 Jaffna District Final District Result". Department of Elections, Sri Lanka. Archived from the original on 1 November 2014.
- "TNPF announces Central Committee, prepares party constitution". TamilNet. 24 February 2011.
- "PART I : SECTION (I) – GENERAL Government Notifications THE PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS ACT, No. 1 OF 1981 Notice Under Section 24(1) GENERAL ELECTIONS OF MEMBERS OF THE PARLIAMENT" (PDF). The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka Extraordinary. 1923/03. 13 July 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 September 2015.
- "Parliamentary Election – 17-08-2015 Electoral District: Jaffna Final District Result". Department of Elections, Sri Lanka. Archived from the original on 7 September 2015. Retrieved 6 September 2015.
External links
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