Regional parties score in local govt. polls as NPP suffers setbacks

There was a close race between the ruling  National People's Power (NPP) and  main opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB)  to gain control of several local government bodies while regional parties in the North and East put on a strong showing, results from Tuesday’s election showed.

The NPP and the SJB were tied for first and second place in Wattala-Mabola UC (Gampaha), Agalawaththa PS (Kalutara), Laggala Pallegama PS (Matale), Thambalagamuwa PS (Trincomalee), Kalpitiya PS (Puttalam), Udadumbara PS (Kandy).

The NPP also competed in several parts of the country with regional political parties including in the North, East and upcountry.

These included the Nawalapitiya UC (Kandy), Norwood PS (Nuwara Eliya), Agarapathana PS (Nuwara Eliya), Kotagala PS (Nuwara Eliya), Alayadiwembu PS (Ampara), Vavuniya MC (Vavuniya), Karainagar PS (Jaffna) which saw exact ties between NPP and Ceylon Workers Congress - P Wing (CWCPC), Ilankai Tamil Arasu Katchi (ITAK), Democratic Tamil National Alliance (DTNA) and independent groups.

Meanwhile ITAK and Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pullikal (TMVP) were the only two groups to tie for first place--in Mamunai Southwest PS--without a NPP frontrunner.

In eight local authorities NPP and other parties battled for first place with a winner emerging with only 1 seat difference.

Of the elections held to 339 local authorities, the  NPP lost in 72 local authorities. The ITAK won in 38,  SJB in 11, Sri Lanka Muslim Congress in five, All Ceylon Makkal Congress in  four, All Celyon Tamil Congress in three and the CWCPC winning two.

The National Congress won two local government institutions while the  TMVP,  DTNA and the Eelam People's Democratic Party won one each. Four different independent groups also won one council each.