News
Opposition parties jostle for any advantage in polls
View(s):By Kasun Warakapitiya
With the nominations for Parliamentary elections due to close in five days and campaigning already in progress, political parties have stepped up their organisational activities, forming alliances while finalising their nomination lists.
Some of those who contested in the presidential elections too, are gathering breakaway groups of main parties to form alliances, while others are fielding those such as businessmen, professionals, and entrepreneurs.
Most political groups said that they are waiting for nominations to be submitted to begin campaigning.
The National People’s Power are planning to extend the action plan in their presidential election manifesto for the upcoming General elections and are requesting the people to appoint their government to allow their president to go forward with their action plan.
NPP National Executive Committee Member, Namal Karunaratne, told the Sunday times that the nomination select committees are evaluating many applications.
Both JVP and NPP members will be allowed to contest.
“The JVP veterans as well as fresh candidates of the NPP alliance will contest together. Our nomination list will have persons from various sectors, professions, but all of the nominated individuals would be persons with qualifications and capable of taking forward programme,” Mr Karunaratne said.
The SJB had decided to contest as the Samagi Jana Sanadanaya (SJS) and would field Sajith Premadasa as candidate for prime minister.
According to SJB’s Tissa Attanayake the SJS is preparing nomination lists and it will be finalised on October 8 or 9. It will be handed in on October 10 and 11.
“We have 65% of candidates who are already in the SJS, while 30% of candidates would be new. There are professionals, businessmen,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Dayasiri Jayasekara faction would be contesting under Samagi Jana Sandanaya.
The United National Party has decided to contest the parliamentary election as an alliance under the cylinder symbol.
Dr Rajitha Senaratne said that the UNP and other parties which supported Ranil Wickremesinghe at the presidential election would contest under the cylinder symbol. Nomination selection committee representatives will be named soon.
“We would allow representatives of parties which supported former president Wickremesinghe to contest with us,” he said.
The SLFP’s Nimal Siripala faction would be contesting under the cylinder symbol..
The Sri Lanka Podu Jana Peremuna (SLPP) plans to contest for the parliamentary election to strengthen their party, while planning to reorganize the party to face future elections.
Sagara Kariyawasam, the general secretary of the Sri Lanka Podu Jana Peramuna (SLPP) said the party is preparing nomination lists to contest in all districts.
According to him the main goal is to strengthen the party while preserving its identity. Even though they were called for discussions with the UNP the party is not interested.
“ We have accepted the reality, therefore we do not plan to have a prime minister candidate, but plan to at least get two elected to parliament representing each electoral district,’’ he said.
The SLPP general secretary said that the Rajapaksas have been wrongly branded as thieves. “We urge the government to take action against thieves.’’
Presidential candidates too are contesting the parliamentary election.
Former Public Utilities Commission Chairman as well as presidential candidate, Janaka Ratnayake said that he has already prepared a list of candidates for the general election and is waiting for nominations to be called. are called.
Ranjan Seneviratne, the general secretary of Mawbima Janatha Party (MJP), told the Sunday Times that it will contest the general election under the Sarwa Jana Balaya alliance. A new symbol is to be chosen.
He explained that party leader Dilith Jayaweera used the Communist party symbol to contest at the presidential elections. “Therefore we will use a new symbol for our alliance. Several former MP’s joined and were awarded positions in the party. They would be contesting the election as our key candidates.’’
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