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Candidates jump into the fray without waiting for invitations
The elections to the Western and Southern Provincial Councils are more than two months away but aspiring councillors are merrily jumping the gun, advertising themselves on posters and in media interviews even before nomination lists have been finalised.The Election Commissioner announced that nominations will be received from January 30 to February 6.
Already an array of film stars and singers have come forward to contest the polls, and some seasoned politicians too are set to join them.
Sarath Fonseka leaving the Elections Commisioner’s office after lodging a complaint that his campiagn was being disrupted. Pix by Indika Handuwala
Film actor turned politician, UNP Ratnapura District MP Ranjan Ramanayaka, decided to contest the Western Provincial Council elections after supporters and senior party members urged him to take up the challenge.
“I was involved in protecting the fundamental rights of the migrant workers in the Middle East through the relevant domestic and international institutions for more than 10 years before entering active politics. I did not become a politician to benefit from the privileges that any politician gets from the government or parliament or public,” he said.
He said many new entrants to politics intended merely to profit from government privileges and to gain publicity. “One must not contest for the provincial election without any knowledge about governance and social responsibility,” he said.
It was important that candidates have a clean record, are disciplined and able to interact with people from any community, he added.
Mr Ramanayaka, who is aspiring to be Chief Minister of the Western Province, said if elected, his main focus would be to end government-sponsored corruption occurring at provincial council level.
In the Southern Province too there is much campaigning enthusiasm in these early days.
The Democratic Party (DP) of former army commander Sarath Fonseka has plunged into the campaign early with pocket meetings in all areas in the Galle district while the People’s Liberation Front (JVP) has plastered streets with posters, joined by other parties.
This election, as with most other provincial council polls, features many relatives of well-known politicians.
Key contestants identified in the Southern Provincial Council include Tharaka
It’s the usual poster war as elections to the Western and Southern Provincial Councils hots up (above and left). Pix by D.G. Sugathapala, Jeewaka Jayaruk and Reka Tharangani
Deshamanya Nanayakkara, son of Hemakumara Nanayakkara; the former minister Rupa Karunathilake’s son Sanjeewa Karunathilake; former deputy minister Noel Padmasiri Kariyawasam’s brother, ex-UPFA member and now UNP candidate Ananda Padmasiri Kariyawasam; Isuru Dodangoda, son of a former cabinet minister and Southern Province chief minister; Minister Piyasena Gamage’s son Randima Gamage; the late MP Nanda Gunasinghe’s son Tisara Gunasinghe for the UPFA.
Geetha Kumarasinghe will be contesting Galle district for the UPFA and her opponent will be Nadeesha Hemamali for the UNP. Anarkalli Aakarasha is set to contest the Matara District election.
The former minister of Agriculture, Irrigation, Trade and Environment in the Western Provincial Council, Udaya Gammanpila said he was seeking re-election with a campaign named the Ethical Eco-friendly Election Law-Bound Campaign.
“Supporters of other campaigns plaster their candidates’ posters on walls that belong to the public and state. This is a violation of civil rights and a breach of election law which indicates aggression towards the voters even before contesting the elections,” Mr. Gammanpala said.
