The TNA and SLMC are considering the possibility of working together in the North and East at the forthcoming parliamentary election, the two parties said yesterday.

Addressing a news conference in Colombo, the TNA and SLMC leaders R. Sambandan and Rauff Hakeem said that they were discussing the kind of alliance that could be forged.

"It is too early to make any specific comments. But we are in talks with all like minded opposition political parties. The exact nature of the alliances, will take some time to materialise," Sambanthan said.

Both Sambandan and Hakeem said that they were willing to accept with certain reservations the results of last week’s Presidential Election in the North and East, but would reject the "unrealistic" number of votes obtained by President Mahinda Rajapaksa in the rest of the country.

"Bomb explosions were heard in several parts of Jaffna on election day. This frightened and kept many voters away from the polling booths," Sambandan said. "I could not meet my supporters in certain areas in the North. There were government goon squads at every junction."

Hakeem said that there were many electorates in the North and East where a substantial

number of polling cards had not been delivered. The drop in the overall turnout, had affected the chances of the Oppositions Common Presidential Candidate Sarath Fonseka.