Angajan Ramanathan


Angajan Ramanathan is a Sri Lankan Tamil politician and Member of Parliament. He entered the parliament through the United People's Freedom Alliance National List.

Early life and family

Ramanathan was born on 9 July 1983. Ramanathan's father Sathasivam Ramanathan is an associate of Basil Rajapaksa, brother of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa. Sathasivam Ramanathan is reputed to have made billions from smuggling abroad refugees from the Sri Lankan Civil War and from government corruption.

Career

Ramanathan was one of the United People's Freedom Alliance's 's candidates in Jaffna District at the 2010 parliamentary election but failed to get elected after coming seventh amongst the UPFA candidate. During the election campaign, on 31 March 2010, Ramanathan and supporters were attacked by Eelam People’s Democratic Party, a government backed paramilitary group and a member of the UPFA. In retaliation, the following day supporters of Ramanathan shot at Mayor of Jaffna Yogeswari Patkunarajah, a member of the EPDP. In August 2010 Ramanathan was appointed Sri Lanka Freedom Party organiser for Jaffna District by President Rajapaksa.
Ramanathan contested the 2013 provincial council election as one of the UPFA's candidates in Jaffna District and was elected to the Northern Provincial Council. During the election campaign, on 27 August 2013, a violent clash took place between UPFA candidates in Chavakachcheri during which Ramanathan's father Sathasivam Ramanathan opened fire on a group led A. Sarvananthan. Sathasivam Ramanathan was arrested and remanded for attempted murder. Also during the election campaign, a UPFA mob, including Ramanathan and his father, attacked Tamil National Alliance candidate P. Thambirajah. The day before the election Ramanathan was still campaigning using SMS, violating electoral law.
Ramanathan was one of the UPFA's candidates in Jaffna District at the 2015 parliamentary election but the UPFA failed to win any seats in the district. However, after the election he was appointed as a UPFA National List MP in Parliament. During the election campaign Ramanathan's supporters attacked supporters of the United Socialist Party.
Ramanathan is alleged to have organised abductions and attacks on behalf of the Rajapaksa family. Jaffna UPFA municipal councillor Suveeharan Nishanthan claims he was abducted and assaulted by Ramanathan and his father on 3 April 2013 in Colombo.

Electoral history