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Political heavies wrestle for an edge in Colombo
View(s):By Sandun Jayawardana
With more than 1.76 million registered voters across 15 electorates, the Colombo District is second only to Gampaha in terms of the voter count. Voters can choose from among 18 candidates to Parliament.
The importance that all main political parties attach to the district is evidenced by the heavyweights they are fielding.
The National People’s Power (NPP) candidates are being led by Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya.
Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) Leader Sajith Premadasa is leading his party’s candidates. Former minister Susil Premajayantha is district leader of the New Democratic Front (NDF).
SJB (above) and SLPP (right) activists in house-to-house campaign in Maradana. Pix by Eshan Fernando
NPP: Lakshman Nipunarachchi
NPP candidate and former MP Lakshman Nipunarachchi said a party committee has already drafted a specific programme for the district. The NPP has some 500 branches at Grama Niladhari Division level and their proposals, too, have been taken into account when drafting it, he said.
The NPP is leading by example and candidates are contesting as a group, Mr Nipunarachchi said. “There is no struggle for preference votes among us. All 21 of our candidates have various talents and are good people. There are both known and unknown faces among them but all have done a lot for the party.”
Nine former MPs are contesting from the SJB.
NDF: Susil Premajayantha
Former state minister Eran Wickramaratne is among them.
He highlighted the need for better housing and public transport as two key issues. “Lots of people in the district are still living in poor housing,” Mr Wickramaratne said. Buses and trains are in poor condition, he said. He claimed those “who don’t understand and are corrupt”, squashed the light rail transit project as well as the digitalisation and public transport upgrade programme financed under the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) agreement.
He said women have outperformed men in education for the past several decades but their participation in the workforce is still around 32%. Better and safer public transport could draw more women into the workforce.
SLPP: Sarath Weerasekara
The NDF is contesting under the ‘gas cylinder’ symbol. Colombo District leader Susil Premajayantha has been in Parliament from 2001. The NDF polled 21% of the total vote in Colombo at the presidential election and the party is hoping to increase that, Mr Premajayantha said.
SJB: Eran Wickramaratne
He claimed the NDF came third at the presidential election because the party “did governance rather than politics”, for the past 2 ½ years.
“We have to wait and see the outcome (of the election). My main target is to represent our camp in Parliament. It is our duty to represent the people who vote for us at the general election and to contribute to the government of the day’s efforts towards uplifting the economy and resolving other main issues in the country.”
The Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) has had pocket meetings and has been canvassing, Colombo District leader and former MP Sarath Weerasekara said. He alleged that the draft Constitution which the NPP had pledged to introduce, will turn the country into a secular and “fully federal” state. “We won’t allow what Prabhakaran tried to achieve through war to be given on a platter by a Constitution. We need SLPP MPs in Parliament to oppose that.”
Sarvajana Balaya: Udaya Gammanpila
The People’s Struggle Movement: Pubudu Jayagoda
Former MP Udaya Gammanpila, Colombo District Leader of the Sarvajana Balaya, said: “We strongly believe the government has committed blunder after blunder and its popularity has started to go down as reflected at the Elpitiya Pradeshiya Sabha election.’’ He claims the country needs an “intelligent, experienced, bold and honest opposition to guide the government on the correct path.”
Mr Gammanpila claimed that the party is doing the role of the opposition effectively and boldly. “I’m quite confident that people will continue to express their confidence in me.”
The People’s Struggle Movement Colombo District candidate Pubudu Jayagoda said the party has held about 400 pocket meetings, canvassed in all main suburbs and gone door-to-door in selected localities.
“All our candidates are those who have stood with the people in times of adversity and fought for their rights,” he remarked. Mr Jayagoda claimed being at an advantage versus traditional political parties. “We are accepted since we are not one of those parties of the old guard. In that sense, being a completely new party has served as a positive for us.’’
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