News
Election campaigning begins as parties tout prize fighters
View(s):By Sandun Jayawardana
With the Election Commission (EC) having issued preference numbers to candidates this week, campaigning for the November 14 general elections is now in full swing. Accordingly, the main political parties are now beginning to commence large scale campaign rallies throughout the country.
The National People’s Power (NPP) held its first public rally in Tangalle yesterday under the leadership of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to formally kick off its elections campaign.
Election Commission issued preference numbers to candidates this week
Individual candidates meanwhile are also campaigning for preference votes now that their preference numbers have been issued. Many have taken their campaign to social media to highlight their preference numbers to prospective voters. The sometimes cut-throat competition for preference votes has resulted in conflicts within candidates of the same party contesting from the same district in past elections. Tensions have also developed in some instances in these elections owing to this issue.
The NPP, though, insists its candidates will not engage in any type of “manapa poraya” (preference vote war). The party, contesting under the ‘Compass’ symbol, commenced grassroots level campaigning on October 17 and will commence holding large scale public rallies from Tangalle with the participation of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, the NPP’s Kalutara District Leader Dr Nalinda Jayatissa told the Sunday Times yesterday. “After our inaugural rally in Tangalle, we intend to hold one main campaign rally in each district with the participation of the President until campaigning ends on November 11,” Dr Jayatissa revealed. In addition, the NPP will be conducting house-to-house canvassing as well as small pocket meetings.
The party’s candidates will be campaigning as a team rather than individually, Dr Jayatissa added. He said the party will be distributing handbills to voters introducing the candidates in their respective districts along with their preference numbers. Handbills will also be distributed at electorate level introducing the candidates campaigning in that electorate along with their preference numbers. “None of our candidates will be campaigning individually on social media or putting out individual campaign ads in mainstream media. They will campaign together for the party,” Dr Jayatissa claimed. He refuted allegations that the party would “pick and choose” candidates who would be going to Parliament, insisting that those who obtained the highest preference votes will be elected as with any other party.
The Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) under former Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa meanwhile, is also focused on its campaign. The party, though, has had to wrestle with controversies such as the last-minute move to strike-off the name of actress Damith Abeyratne from the nomination list of party candidates contesting from the Ratnapura district and the announcement by former SJB MP Ajith Mannapperuma that he will not be contesting from the Gampaha district despite being given nominations. Mr Mannapperuma has said he took the decision after being stripped of his organizer post.
Former MP and SJB candidate Harshana Rajakaruna, who is also the party’s Gampaha district leader, played down the controversy surrounding Mr Mannapperuma. “Ajith Mannapperuma did not work for the presidential election. That was the reason he was taken out as organiser for the Gampaha electorate. Everybody in Gampaha knows that was the correct decision to make for the party,” he insisted.
He said the party was now united towards ensuring victory at the upcoming elections. “We have put forward a very strong group of candidates. A lot of professionals and qualified persons are on our candidate list. They represent both the youth and senior citizens,” he said. “We are working very hard and my responsibility as the Gampaha district leader is to make sure we elect as many SJB parliamentarians as possible from the Gampaha district.”
Other main parties including the New Democratic Front (NDF) led by former President Ranil Wickremesinghe and the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) under former President Mahinda Rajapaksa have also commenced campaigning, though neither of the former presidents is contesting this year’s general elections.
The NDF, contesting under the ‘Gas Cylinder’ symbol has also commenced campaigning at the grassroots level and its candidates are already holding pocket meetings at electorate level.
Former SLPP MP Namal Rajapaksa, who contested the last presidential election, is already taking part in meetings in different parts of the country for the SLPP elections campaign.
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