Leaders of the Tamil National Alliance -- an amalgam of four Tamil parties -- will meet this week to discuss plans to register the TNA as a recognized political party and also to invite other Tamil parties to join it.

At present the TNA consists of the TELO, the EPRLF, the All Ceylon Tamil Congress and a section of the TULF.

TNA parliamentarian N. Sri Kantha told Daily Mirror yesterday this meeting had been convened at the request of TELO General Secretary Prasanna Indrakumar.

He said it was essential for the TNA to have a separate constitution and a new set of office bearers. Mr. Sri Kantha said the party hoped to invite youngsters especially professionals and academics to join the party in this post conflict period.“Professionals and academics stayed away from politics during the war but we need them now to come forward and work for the community,” he said.

Mr. Sri Kantha said he spoke to PLOTE leader D. Siththarthan who gave a positive signal on joining the TNA in case its name was changed.

“We hope the EPRLF (Pathmanabha Group) and TULF led by V. Anandasangari will also respond positively to our request to join the party,” he said.

Mr. Sri Kantha said a mechanism would be devised to accommodate in an active role the nearly 10 TNA parliamentarians who did not belong to any of the four parties in the alliance.

The proposed TNA constitution highlights the need for a political solution to the national question within a united Sri Lanka.

When asked about the TMVP led by Eastern Chief Minister Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan, Mr. Sri Kantha said the TNA would gladly welcome the party if it wants to join.