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Candidates step up presidential campaign with rallies and blessings
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President Ranil Wickremesinghe kicks off his campaign in Anuradhapura. Pic by Pradeep Pathirana
By Kasun Warakapitiya
The main contenders contesting to be elected as the ninth executive president intensified their campaign activities hours after nominations were handed over on Thursday.
Thirty-nine candidates handed over nominations on Thursday—22 political party candidates and 17 independents.
With 33 days remaining for the election on September 21, the candidates have started their campaign rallies.
Samagi Jana Wegaya candidate Sajith Premadasa was the first to launch the election rally in Kurunegala on Friday.
Mr. Premadasa earlier engaged in religious activities in Kandy and visited the sacred Temple of Tooth to obtain blessings from Malwathu and Asgri Chapter Mahanayakes.
The first major rally of Mr. Premadasa on the theme Wijayagrahi Jana Raliya was held at Ethugalpura. It was attended by a cross-section of parties and groups supporting him.
Addressing the rally, Mr. Premadasa said the alliance’s maiden rally at Ethugalpura, Kurunegala, had some significance because it was from here that Gam Udawa, one of the main development projects of his father and one-time President Ranasinghe Premadasa, was launched.
“As a practical and progressive opposition, we talked and fought on behalf of the people and took actions to eradicate corruption and fraud. Even the intelligence group and legal association of the alliance did a huge amount of work,” he said.
Mr. Preamdasa promised that he would not have any deals with thieves. He said he would stop crossovers of politicians and claimed that those who joined his alliance did not ask for positions but joined according to party policies.
Anura Kumara Dissanayake addresing his first campaign rally in Tangalle
Mr. Premadsa held his second election rally at Bandaragama yesterday morning.
Ranil Wickremesinghe, contesting as an independent candidate under the gas cylinder symbol, also visited the Malwatte and Asgiriya chapter Mahanayake Theras on Thursday and offered flowers at the temple.
At the Water’s Edge Hotel in Battaramulla on Friday, more than 30 parties signed the “Puluwan Sri Lanka” agreement, pledging their support for the President in the upcoming presidential election.
Yesterday the President visited Sri Maha Bodhi in Anuradapura and received the blessing from Atamasthanadhipathi, the Most Ven Pallegama Hemaratna Nayaka Thera, and the Maha Sangha.
Sajith Premadasa starts off his campaign in Kurunegala
He held his inaugural presidential election campaign meeting at Anuradhapura’s Salgadu ground yesterday.
He urged people to support him at the presidential election, saying he had a capable team that had proven itself by salvaging the country from its worst economic crisis.
“The only capable team is with me. Along with the Prime Minister and others in my team who came forward when the country was in dire straits, we were able to stabilise the economy and give many concessions to the people,” the President said.
The rally was attended by Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, ministers, MPs, and leaders of different political parties and groups.
The president explained that he had decided to contest as an independent candidate to unite people from across the political divide.
“Our stage is not a place for division. My campaign is to bring everyone together,” Mr. Wickremesinghe said.
He recalled the many difficulties that people had to face due to power cuts, shortages of fuel, gas, medicines, essential goods, and other items.
“The economy was in shambles, but where were the opposition leader and Anura Kumara Dissanayake at that time? They both failed to come forward and take up the responsibility when the country needed them the most,” he said.
Mr. Wickremeisnghe said he was aware of the suffering of the people due to economic reforms that had to be put in place but said this was the only way to overcome the dire situation.
“The VAT increase has hurt people, but we had to increase taxes to get out of this situation. We have given many concessions after the economy started improving, including pay hikes for public servants, Aswesuma benefits to millions of people, scholarships to students, and lands under the Urumaya programme,” he said.
The President also announced several new development programmes for the Anuradhapura district after the election. “Let us bring Anuradhapura back to its past glory. To secure your future, give your vote to the gas cylinder,” he urged.
National People’s Power (NPP) presidential candidate Anura Kumara Dissanayake engaged in religious activities on Friday and visited the Chief Prelates of Malwatte and Asgiriya Chapters to obtain blessings.
The NPP held three election rallies yesterday—in the Hambantota, Matara and Galle districts—with party leader Dissanayke addressing them.
The NPP’s inaugural rally was held at Tangalla in Hambantota last evening.
Addressing this rally, Mr. Dissanayake said that the September 21 election was not to change a regime or leaders but to change the country.
“People have two options; they can either go ahead in the old unsuccessful route, change the route, or turn the country and its people in a new direction. The country is at a decisive point; the people can decide on September 21,” he said.
He explained that they were not taking over a developed country but a collapsed country. He, however, assured that an NPP government would free the country from its crisis.
Mr. Dissanayake pledged he would not take revenge on anyone and would carry out a peaceful election campaign. He said if the NPP formed the government, the party would not allow anyone to be harmed but would take action against criminals and the corrupt.
He added that they would make food, medicine, and educational equipment completely exempt from taxes.
Meanwhile, presidential candidate Namal Rajapaksa is planning to hold his maiden election rally at Anuradhapura on Wednesday.
Until then, he would be taking part in religious activities.
On Friday, Mr. Rajapaksa visited Sri Maha Bodiya and gave a heel dana before taking part in religious observances at Ruwan Wali Maha Saya. Thereafter Mr. Rajapaksa met the Atamasthanadipathi before travelling to Kandy.
Yesterday. Mr. Rajapaksa visited the Temple of Tooth and met the chief prelates of both the Malwatta and Asgiriya chapters. He also visited the Katukale Hindu Kovil and the Jumma Mosque in Kandy. Thereafter, he visited a Catholic Church.
Mr. Rajapaksa told the Sunday Times he would have 140 rallies covering every electorate, while former president Mahinda Rajapaksa would attend at least 22 district-level meetings.
Other presidential candidates too have their own events planned to begin their campaign.
Presidential candidate Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe said he would launch his manifesto today and it would cover all sectors.
Sarwa Jana Balaya Presidential candidate Dilith Jayaweera held his maiden rally yesterday in Jaffna.
In contrast to other parties, presidential candidate Janaka Ratnayake, who is contesting the election under Eksath Podujana Pakshya, said he would not have election rallies but would expose corruption and “reveal the truth” as part of his campaign.
He said he had addressed the burning problems of people through his manifesto published on his website. His manifesto contains action plans to create conditions where people could have three meals a day and buy 20 essential commodities at fixed and affordable priced for five years.
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