▁together ▁to ▁support ▁common ▁opposition ▁candidate ▁Sar ath ▁Fon se ka ▁at ▁the ▁president ial ▁election , ▁were ▁unable ▁to ▁form ▁a ▁common ▁al liance ▁to ▁contest ▁in ▁the ▁election . ▁Therefore , ▁the ▁UN F ▁and ▁the ▁T NA ▁cont ested ▁alone , ▁while ▁Fon se ka ▁and ▁the ▁J VP ▁al lied ▁to ▁form ▁a ▁new ▁al liance ▁called ▁the ▁Democratic ▁National ▁Alliance ▁( D NA ). ▁Fon se ka ▁was ▁the ▁DNA ' s ▁chief ▁candidate ▁in ▁Col om bo ▁district . ▁ ▁The ▁UP FA , ▁UN F ▁and ▁DNA ▁cont ested ▁in ▁all ▁ 2 2 ▁elect oral ▁districts ▁while ▁the ▁T NA ▁cont ested ▁in ▁the ▁ 5 ▁districts ▁in ▁the ▁north ▁and ▁east . ▁The ▁UN F ▁cont ested ▁under ▁the ▁name ▁and ▁symbol ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁National ▁Party , ▁as ▁it ▁had ▁done ▁in ▁the ▁previous ▁two ▁parliament ary ▁elections . ▁The ▁T NA ▁cont ested ▁under ▁the ▁name ▁and ▁symbol ▁of ▁the ▁Ill ank ai ▁T amil ▁Ar as u ▁K ach chi , ▁as ▁it ▁did ▁in ▁the ▁last ▁parliament ary ▁election . ▁ ▁A ▁record ▁ 7 , 6 8 0 ▁candidates ▁cont ested ▁for ▁the ▁ 1 9 6 ▁district ▁seats . ▁ ▁Vi ol ence ▁and ▁viol ations ▁of ▁election ▁laws ▁Sri ▁L ank an ▁elections ▁have ▁a ▁history ▁of ▁violence , ▁mis use ▁of ▁state ▁resources , ▁and ▁other ▁viol ations ▁of ▁election ▁laws . ▁ 2 7 4 ▁inc idents ▁had ▁been ▁reported ▁to ▁the ▁police ▁up ▁to