The campaign for the North Central Sabaragamuwa provincial elections has started on a disturbing note with polls-related violence being reported in the Anuradhapura and Ratnapura districts soon after nominations closed on Friday.
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| UPFA Chief Minsiterial Candidate Berty Premalal Dissanayake after he submitted his party’s nomination list. |
In the Anuradhapura district, JVP activists were allegedly attacked by supporters UPFA chief ministerial candidate Berty Premalal Dissanayaka on Friday evening with at least three being injured and one hospitalized, the JVP said.
The party’s NCP Chief Ministerial candidate Wasantha Samarasinghe said he was present at the scene and saw Mr. Dissanayake and a deputy minister in the group that attacked the JVP supporters.
But, UPFA officials denied the charge.
The attack came after Rural Industries Minister Premalal Jayasekara and his supporters allegedly waylaid a JVP supporter in the Nivithigala area, assaulted him with weapons and even fired at him, JVP officials claimed.
They said the firing had affected the party member’s hearing and he was hospitalized.
A JVP spokesman said that he was threatened not to make a complaint to the police.
On Thursday night three UNP supporters were attacked allegedly by UPFA supporters in Kekirawa while they were putting up posters, a UNP official said.
After weeks of controversy and conflicting reports, the major parties finalized their lists and handed in nominations by Friday afternoon.
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UPFA supporters going in a motor parade on Friday after the party handed in its nomination list.
Pix by Athula Bandara |
In the North Central Province, the UPFA’s chief ministerial candidate will be former CM Berty Premalal Dissanayake, former Army strongman Janaka Perera heads the UNP’s list and Wasanatha Samarasinghe who resigned from parliament heads the JVP list.
In the Sabaragamuwa province, former chief minister Mahipala Herath heads the UPFA list and Central Committee member Chameera Koswatte is the JVP’s candidate for the CM’s post. The main opposition UNP has still not decided on its CM candidate but “One-Shot” actor Ranjan Ramanayake is reported to be the frontrunner.
Fifteen political parties and 36 independent groups are fielding 1,698 candidates for the August 23 elections in the two provinces.
Major General says "Why I got into politics"
North Central Province UNP Chief Ministerial candidate Major General (Rtd.) Janaka Perera has said he believes the party and he will be able to address the burning issues in the Province and the country.
Extracts from a statement parts of which apperared in The Sunday Times political column last week:
“Having been an active army officer for more than half my life, where I had the great privilege of serving the motherland, on my retirement from service, I was accorded the honour of serving our country as High Commissioner to Australia for a period of four years and then as Ambassador to Indonesia for two years.
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| Major General (Rtd.) Janaka Perera and UNP MP Chandrani Bandara meeting journalists after they handed in nominations papers at the Anuradhapura Secretariat. |
“Even during my tenure as Ambassador, I had many a request from political parties to enter the field of politics and during the last Presidential Elections held in 2005, I was proposed to, by a certain political party to contest the elections as their preferred Presidential Candidate.
“However, due to the fact that I owed a great deal to my family, who gave me all the support during my services to the army, when I had to be away in the field most of the time until my retirement, I felt I needed to spend time with them and to stay away from the politics.
“I committed myself, through whatever means possible, to work towards encouraging our great Ranaviru Heroes, as also, those others who have suffered injuries and displacement from the war, to give recognition to their own talents and self reliance, in order to be able to live with honour and dignity. This initiative had only just begun.
“There were also groups of people from various professional fields, the silent observers to the various forms of violence and crime, who requested an organization to address the pressing needs of the people. Towards this, many ideas emerged.
“This is the single largest and oldest political party in Sri Lanka. I also feel that through the party, I would be able to contribute to address the burning issues in the Province and in the Country and work towards a greater nation, protecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of our motherland.
“It is my longing to make a worthy contribution that can change the way we serve the people and which will leave in the minds of men and women the conviction and the will to carry on . I will strive therefore to unite the constituents around a common cause and connect with them as human beings to serve . I will do this truthfully because truth is
the property of no individual, but is the treasure of all men. We must create the ability in ourselves to see what no one else sees, to listen when others talk and the ability to be optimistic when others are pessimistic. Then only can we make people kings and not pawns of kings.
“Once again, it is with humility that I take this path and it is with humility that I ask, all the peace loving people of our country, to give us their invaluable support, towards creating a Greater Nation.”
Act of faith?
Popular actor Ranjan Ramanayaka, who will be contesting for the Chief Minister’s post on the UNP ticket in the forthcoming Provincial Council elections for Sabaragamuwa, has announced that he has converted to Buddhism.
Mr. Ramanayaka, who was previously a Catholic, told The Sunday Times: “I respect all religions, but I have decided to follow Buddhism.”
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