News
Nominees keepers, losers weepers as nominations close to win at all costs
Intense election campaigning began with the closing of nominations on Thursday for the two provincial council (PC) elections. Rallies of supporters shouting slogans, from all major and other political parties, took place with the respective district representatives, on conclusion of nominations for the Western and Southern PCs.
Who’s taking whom for a ride? A candidate on the campaign trail in Galle. Pic by D.G. Sugathapala
The Elections Dept confirmed that elections will be held on March 29, while numbers will be allocated to the contestants as each district secretariat hands over the list of contestants to the Dept, after arranging the names according to alphabetical order. Public Administration and Home Affairs Minister W.D.J. Seneviratne said the ultimate goal of the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) is to strengthen the hands of President Rajapaksa.
He said the party, along with the contestants, will visit each district to check on the residents’ utility facilities, and to inspect ongoing development projects. He said the official election manifesto will be released within the coming weeks. United National Party (UNP) Colombo District leader L.S. Manju Sri Arangala said the main Opposition will focus on eradicating corruption in the WPC and to put a stop to casino projects which are to be implemented in Colombo.
UNP Colombo District Media Spokesman A. Srinath Perera said the forthcoming elections will be a referendum which will highlight the government’s failures. He requested the public to decide with their heads and not their hearts when casting their votes. He said the party’s internal issues will not affect either the election campaign or the candidates, and will further strengthen the party to move forward for victory.
Democratic Party (DP) General Secretary, Ananda Manawadu said the PC is one step towards national level to establish law and order in the country which was corrupted by the ruling party. He said with the establishment of an independent judiciary corruption can be controlled. He said the necessity to groom a strong opposition is the main reason for the DP to contest the PC polls. He added that the present Opposition leader and his party have not been able to challenge the Government yet, and the DP leader has taken the initiative to establish a strong opposition which can challenge the Government.
Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) Colombo District leader K.D. Lal Kantha claimed that the elections will determine the strength of the party, and the party’s main focus, with the new leadership, is on the presidential election. He said the election campaign will commence with the main rally on February 15.
Democratic People’s Front (DPF) Leader, Mano Ganesan said the UPFA, as the ruling party, has violated election laws more than any other party contesting the forthcoming elections. “The President is using his resources and privileges to promote UPFA election campaigns by organising events for newly appointed teachers and pensioners at President’s house.”
He further criticised the police for not taking necessary action against the ruling party for breaking the common law, while treating the Opposition in a different manner. Overall, 81 political parties with 2,441 contestants and 42 independent parties with1,353 contestants are eligible to contest the elections for WP’s 102 seats and SP’s 53 seats. WP has 4,024,683 registered voters, while SP has 1,873,804 registered voters.
Colombo District with 18 political parties and Hambantota District with nine have the highest and least number of political parties respectively, contesting the forthcoming elections. Campaigns for Free and Fair Elections (CaFFE) Executive Director Keerthi Tennakoon criticised the police and other related authorities for not preventing candidates and their supporters from violating election laws during the past few weeks.
CaFFE has complained to the Police and to the Elections Commissioner of illegal rallies conducted in Kalutara, Matara, Galle and Gampaha districts and also in Beruwala, Deniyaya, and Aluthgama, Akmeemana, Wattala, Kadawatha and Aldeniya areas for violating election laws. The first poll-related violent incidents were reported from Hambantota, where two UNP supporters, Piyasena Ekanayake and K. Jagath Kumara were assaulted by supporters of D.V. Upul, a UPFA candidate for Hambantota on Thursday.
Two UPFA supporters were killed and eight injured when the lorry they were travelling in while campaigning for SPC UPFA candidate Shammi Ariyawansa, crashed into another group of supporters who were standing by the roadside in Kapumulla at Rathgama. The victims, Dahamsiri de Silva and Kande Siriyananda, died after admission to Karapitiya Hospital.
UPFA Galle candidate, Ajith Prasannahewa who, along with five others, had allegedly assaulted a police officer and created a commotion last Thursday, has been reported to the Galle courts by the Galle police for obstructing officials on duty. Police have further complained of the incident to the Elections Commissioner, for necessary action against the offender.
Senior Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police, in charge of elections, Gamini Nawaratne has instructed cinema owners in the Galle district not to display adverts of any contestant on the screen, before, during or after screening the movie. Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Ajith Rohana said police had taken necessary measures to prevent contestants or their supporters from violating election laws and initiated police patrols to investigate and keep order in the districts.
He said police stations in the six districts have been instructed to remove posters and other publicity material of contestants or political parties. He said offenders will be penalised for vandalism of public and private property.
SSP Rohana said police allowed the parties to rally on the last day of nominations, in order to prevent riots. He said those who broke the law during the rallies, on the final day of nominations, will be taken into custody after investigation.
Southern Province
Hambantota District:
Election posters have sprung in the most remote parts in the district where some 221 candidates are contesting under nine registered political parties and four independent groups.
Campaigning by the main parties – the UPFA and the UNP, commenced well ahead of closing of nominations, as the prestige battle continued between the two parties. The UPFA is battling to retain the vote base of President Rajapaksa and his close family members, while Sajith Premadasa is trying to ensure that the party retains, or further improves its position.
Among the leading campaigners for the UPFA has turned out to be M.P.A. Kasun, son of late M.P.A. Ranjith, alias Chandi Malli, who was gunned down outside the Criminal Investigations Dept (CID) in 2003.
Some of the top businessmen such as Cyril Saman Kumara from Mulkirigala are also in the fray, while Minister Wimal Weerawansa’s National Freedom Front has fielded Sujith Muthukumarana to contest from Angunukolapelessa.
As many as eight former PC members are contesting for the UPFA, and among them is former Minister D.V. Rohanapriya Upul. Some of them will be contesting for the fourth consecutive time.
UNP’s former PC member Tennakoon Nilame is back, along with Katuwana and Weeraketiya Opposition leaders M.D. Chandrasena and Anura Vidanagamachchi respectively, among the candidates.
UNP MP Premadasa has stepped up their campaign in the district, while former minister Ananda Kularatne is also campaigning in the Mulkirigala area.
Report: W.M. Nelka
Galle District:
A keen contest is expected in the Galle district where some 450 candidates from 14 political parties and five independent groups are vying for 22 places.
Among the candidates are a Buddhist monk and 48 women including actress Geetha Kumarasinghe, while former PC member Anarkali Aakarsha has shifted from Galle to the adjoining Matara district.
A close contest is expected within the UPFA camp to gain the highest preference votes. Former Chief Minister (CM) Shan Wijeyalal de Silva and several other former members of the PC will be trying to improve on their preferential vote record. Former Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) Minister late Amarasiri Dodgangoda’s son Isuru Udayanga Dodangoda, Senior Minister Piyasena Gamage’s son Randima Gamage and ex-deputy Minister’s son Dulshan Kariyawasa are also among the contestants.
Former UNP PC members Ashoka Dhanawansha de Silva, Bandulal Bandarigoda are among those contesting from the party. However, Maithri Gunaratne, who was expecting to be nominated has been overlooked. Tharaka Nanayakkara, son of Hemakumara Nanayakkara, a former UNP member who crossed over to the UPFA, before forming his own political party, is also contesting. Former Minister late Rupa Karunatillake’s son Sanjeewa Karunatillake and former UPFA Deputy Minister Noel Padmasiri Kariyawasam’s brother Ananda Padmasiri Kariyawasam who crossed over to the UNP, are among the prominent figures from the UNP.
Report: D.G. Sugathapala
Matara District:
In the Matara district, Pasindu Yapa Abeywardena, son of Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena, Chandima Rataputara, a former SPC member and A.Y. Abeywardena, brother of Agriculture Minister Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, are in the fray, and slated as the CM candidates of the UPFA.
For the UNP, the prospective CM candidate is W.K. Wickremasinghe who is a former PC member, while movie star turned politician Nadeesha Hemamali is also contesting for the first time.
Report: Krishan Jeewaka
Jayaruk
Western Province
Gampaha District:
UPFA candidates leaving the Colombo District Secretariat after handing over nominations. Pic by Indika Handuwala
The WPC, with 40 seats, has 22 political parties and independent groups fielding 946 candidates for the district.
Former CM Prasanna Ranatunga and PC minister Nimal Lansa are among the key contestants of the UPFA, while singer Madu Mada who is a JHU member and was a former member of the Colombo Municipal Council, has shifted his base to Gampaha, to contest under the UPFA ticket. MTV Consultant Susara Dinal is also contesting.
Deputy Minister Sarana Gunawardena’s brother Lakshman Gunawardena and his niece Samanmali Sakalasuriya are also contesting on the UPFA ticket.
From the UNP, late MP Dr Jayalath Jayawardena’s son Dr Heshana Jayawardena, MP Joseph Michael Perera’s son Srinath Perera, former MP late Sarathchandra Rajakaruna’s son Harshana Rajakaruna, are among the contestants. Former UPFA PC member Randir Rodrigo who has returned to his original party, and ex-JVP MP Anjan Umma are also contesting from the UNP.
Gampaha MC Opposition leader Kapila Edirisinghe and Biyagama PS Chairman Prasanna Sampath are among other key UNP contestants.
The DP of ex-Army Commander Sarath Fonseka and the JVP also have fielded a mix of candidates including professionals, ex-government servants and active political members.
Report: Deepa Adikari
Colombo District:
The contest in the Colombo District with 40 seats, is likely to be tightly fought one with several prominent candidates contesting from all the main parties.
Former WPC ministers Udaya Prabath Gammanpila and Hewamatarage Upali Kodikara and former council members Fowzie Mohamed Nowzer, A.D. Gamini Thilakasiri, D.H. Sunil Jayamini, Hector Bethmage, and K. Sarath Sumanasekara are among those who have been nominated from the UPFA, along with Hirunika Eranjali Premachandra, daughter of slain politician Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra and Chairman of the Federation of Self- Employed Persons Mahindarathna Kahandagama. Upcountry People’s Front’s former Deputy Leader P. Radhakrishan, who crossed over to the Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC), is contesting under the CWC ticket.
The UNP list includes former PC members L.S. Manju Sri Arangala, K.Y. Pancharathnam Ram and, A Srinath Perera P.C. with Arangala appointed to lead the UNP’s Colombo District team. Former JVP MP K.D. Lal Kantha will lead the JVP’s Colombo District team for the WPC election. Along with him another former MP Lakshman Nipuna Arachchi will also contest, while the JVP has candidates from different professions contesting the elections.
The DP of former Army Commander Sarath Fonseka has also nominated an interesting mix including businessmen, journalists, actors and lawyers to contest on behalf of the DP.
Kalutara District:
Kalutara with 20 seats, has 14 political parties and nine independent groups fielding 550 candidates. Both, the UPFA and the UNP are each fielding a strong team of candidates including a number of former PC members and local council members. In the UPFA list, Minister Rohitha Abeygunawardena’s brother Rohana Abeygunawardena and Minister Kumar Welgama’s son Senal Welgama are the two leading candidates, with the two ministers directly involved in the respective campaigns. Election monitors have claimed that State vehicles are already in use for the election campaigns.
The UNP campaign got off to a bitter start with police detaining a couple of vehicles used by its candidates including Ifthikar Jameel’s, while continuing to tear down posters of candidates. Former Opposition leader Kithsiri Kahatapitiya and ex members Ameer Yusoof, in addition to Gamini Nallaperuma and businessman Jagath Pinnagoda Vithana, are among the top contenders.
The JVP’s former PC member Dr Nalinda Jayatissa who had been an active PC member, is among those spearheading his party’s campaign. Among the DP candidates is popular actor Ravindra Yasas.