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Lalith Athulathmudali was a Sri Lankan politician of the United National Party.

Athulathmudali was a strong Sinhala nationalist. He was National Security Minister under President J.R. Jayewardene during the 1980s. During this time, he organized several offensives against territories held by the LTTE, in which thousands of Tamil civilians were killed.

Upon Jayewardene's retirement in 1988, Athulathmudali tried to obtain the UNP's nomination for the presidential election, but was defeated by Ranasinghe Premadasa who went on to win the presidency.

Premadasa demoted Athulathmudali to Minister of Agriculture, then Education. He also tried to have Athulathmudali removed from his UNP party positions. Athulathmudali became disenchanted with Premadasa's leadership, especially after it was revealed that Premadasa had been sending weapons to the LTTE in order to fight the Indian Peace-Keeping Force in the north of the country. There had also been strong caste rivalry within the UNP leaderships, with Premadasa coming from a low caste background and Athulathmudali coming from the Kandyan high caste.

Athulathmudali and several UNP MPs brought forth a motion to impeach Premadasa. When that failed, he was expelled from the UNP, and began forming a new party, the Democratic United National Front. He announced his candidacy for the presidency, but was assassinated on April 23, 1993.

The government blamed the LTTE for the killing, and most Sri Lankans believed this. Four years later, a presidential commission concluded the LTTE was not responsible.[1] The most likely suspect was Premadasa, who may have wished to eliminate his rival.

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 '''Lalith Athulathmudali''' was a [[Sri Lanka]]n politician of the [[United National Party]].
-Athulathmudali was a true patrotic Sri Lankan who believed Sri Lanka should be a country for all communities to live peacefully.  He was National Security Minister under [[President of Sri Lanka|President]] [[Junius Richard Jayewardene|J.R. Jayewardene]] during the 1980s.  During this time, he organized several offensives against territories held by the [[Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam|LTTE]] terrorists.
+Athulathmudali was a strong [[Sinhala]] [[nationalist]].  He was National Security Minister under [[President of Sri Lanka|President]] [[Junius Richard Jayewardene|J.R. Jayewardene]] during the 1980s.  During this time, he organized several offensives against territories held by the [[Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam|LTTE]], in which thousands of [[Sri Lankan Tamils|Tamil]] civilians were killed.
 Upon Jayewardene's retirement in [[1988]], Athulathmudali tried to obtain the UNP's nomination for the [[Sri Lankan presidential election, 1988|presidential election]], but was defeated by [[Ranasinghe Premadasa]] who went on to win the presidency.
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 Athulathmudali and several UNP MPs brought forth a motion to [[impeach]] Premadasa.  When that failed, he was expelled from the UNP, and began forming a new party, the [[Democratic United National Front]].  He announced his candidacy for the presidency, but was assassinated on [[April 23]], [[1993]].
-The government blamed the LTTE for the killing, and most [[Sri Lankans]] believed this.  Four years later, a presidential commission concluded the LTTE was not responsible.[http://www.sangam.org/FB_PROPAGANDA/Lalith.htm]  The most likely suspect was Premadasa, who may have wished to eliminate his rival. But still many sources claim it was LTTE who did the crime.
+The government blamed the LTTE for the killing, and most [[Sri Lankans]] believed this.  Four years later, a presidential commission concluded the LTTE was not responsible.[http://www.sangam.org/FB_PROPAGANDA/Lalith.htm]  The most likely suspect was Premadasa, who may have wished to eliminate his rival.
 ===External links===