News
As polls day nears, promises galore to woo voters
View(s):By Kasun Warakapitiya
The main presidential candidates continued their campaigns yesterday, explaining their manifestos to the people, with 20 days left for the polls.
Candidates and party leaders have been crisscrossing the country to address political rallies, in addition to conducting a range of meetings with various groups.
Independent presidential candidate Ranil Wickremesinghe, Samagi Jana Balawegaya candidate Sajith Premadasa, and National People’s Power candidate Anura Kumara Dissanayake addressed more than 50 rallies and other meetings this week, with a similar number or more to be addressed next week.
In their speeches, the candidates turned out to be competitive. They tried to respond to their rivals and make new promises to entice more people to vote for them.
Those who came for President's meeting in Jaela on Friday
President Ranil Wickremesinghe, an independent candidate, attended the United National Party convention on Sunday at the party headquarters and addressed a series of rallies across the country, with the main rallies held in Mawanella, Kandy, Harispattuwa, Monaragala, Eheliyagoda, and Hambantota.
The president also held rallies in Bandarawela, Polonnaruwa, Trincomalee, Sammanthurai, and Kattankudy yesterday.
He is due to address more rallies in Vavuniya, Kekirawa, Chillaw, and Dompe today, followed by Pelmaddulla, Mahiyanganaya, and Yapahuwa on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Mr. Wickremesinghe stressed that the continuation of his action plan was necessary to come out of the economic crisis.
The NPP rally in Moratuwa on Friday
Addressing the “Puluwan Sri Lanka” rally held near the Mawanella bus station on, Thursday, he emphasised the importance of continuing the country’s progress, likening it to crossing a vine bridge, and warned that cutting the bridge would result in the country falling into the raging river.
“Today, we are successfully progressing towards economic stability. We are actively working towards alleviating the burdens on people’s lives and providing relief. Our goal is to stabilise the economy and shift to an export-driven economy,” he said.
He pointed out that economic stability must be achieved and assured the voters that its benefits would reach them. Beyond developing an export-driven economy, he said he would work towards reducing the prices of goods once economic stability was achieved. He said taxes could gradually be reduced thereafter.
The Samagi Jana Balwageya was also having a series of rallies and meetings along with conventions with the launch of its candidate’s manifesto. Candidate and party leader Sajith Premadasa attended rallies in Polonnaruwa, Thambuththegama, Seruwila, Batticaloa, Sammanthurai, Pottuvil, Addalachchenai, Ampara, and Wellawaya.
The SJB manifesto was launched in Kandy. Addressing the Polonnaruwa rally on Sunday, Mr. Premadasa said he would provide a 50-kilo bag of quality fertiliser for Rs 5000. He assured farmers he would regulate the prices of fertiliser and pesticides.
“We will free the farmer from the unscrupulous black market salesmen and provide the farmer with fertiliser and chemicals used in agriculture at affordable prices.”
He also said he would provide fuel subsidies using a QR code for farmers, fishermen, three-wheel drivers, school transport service providers, and small-scale rice millers.
Mr. Premadasa also vowed to waive off crop loans and ensure a fixed price for their products.
SJB's Nikarawetiya meeting on Friday
At other political rallies, he also said that if he was elected as president, he would provide a monthly allowance of Rs 20,000 to poverty-stricken families for two years.
Mr. Premadasa also said he would develop certain areas of the country as tourist attraction sites.
Mr. Premadasa was visiting Jaffna yesterday and was to address two public meetings, besides several other events scheduled for yesterday and today.
Having released the theme song and the manifesto of National People’s Power candidate, Anura Kumara Dissanayake on Monday, the NPP said it would hold several conventions and district rallies during the coming two weeks.
Mr. Dissanayake addressed rallies in Polonnaruwa, Batticaloa, Eravur, and Otttamavadi on Thursday.
On Friday, the NPP held a development officers convention at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute; following that, it had a tuition teachers’ national convention at the Monarch Hotel Thalwathugoda. On the same day, the party also held rallies at Maharagama and Ratmalana. Yesterday, the NPP unveiled its candidate’s environmental policy and held rallies at Dompe, Biyagama, and Mahara.
The SLPP rally at Dematagoda on Friday. Pix by Priyanka Samaraweera, Eshan Fernando and Akila Jayawardena
Addressing a rally at Minuwangoda, Mr. Dissanayake said the NPP would create a government that would look after the people.
According to him, an NPP government would build the economy by utilising natural resources. He said gems were found in areas such as Ratnapura, Okkampitiya, and Elahera and by improving the gem industry, the NPP would improve the economy. To do so, the party would introduce tax reforms and create gem trading zones.
Mr. Dissanayake said the NPP government would utilise the phosphate at Eppawala, but would not export raw soil. Instead, they would create an industry in the area and export finished products.
He added that Pulmude mineral sand and graphite found in the country should be extracted by establishing factories, and finished value-added products should be exported to earn more foreign exchange.
He added that they would bring investments to create power plants running on renewable energy and even set up mechanisms to export electricity.
Although the Sri Lanka PoduJana Peramuna is yet to launch the manifesto of its candidate, Namal Rajapaksa, the party was holding rallies and meetings across the country.
Candidate Rajapaksa said he would follow his father’s ideology and admitted that his uncle Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s policy decisions caused inconvenience to farmers.
Addressing a meeting in Galgamuwa on Wednesday, Mr. Rajapaksa said he would follow the agriculture policies carried out by his father, Mahinda Rajapaksa. He admitted that there was some shortage of fertiliser during the tenure of Gotabaya Rajapaksa government, as wrong decisions were taken.
Mr. Rajapaksa said he would change the mentality of people who believed that food items should be imported. He said his policy was to grow crops if they could be cultivated in Sri Lanka.
The best way to say that you found the home of your dreams is by finding it on Hitad.lk. We have listings for apartments for sale or rent in Sri Lanka, no matter what locale you're looking for! Whether you live in Colombo, Galle, Kandy, Matara, Jaffna and more - we've got them all!