SLMC & TMVP will run with SLFP
Amidst continuing turmoil in the Opposition, UPFA General Secretary, Susil Premjayanth, MP, yesterday declared that the SLMC’s decision to contest the EP PC on the UPFA ticket would make it a one horse race.
The EP comprised the electoral districts of Digamadulla, Batticaloa and Trincomalee.
A confident Premjayanth said that the UPFA now had the backing of the SLMC as well as the breakaway LTTE faction, TMVP, headed by former Chief Minister, Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan, whereas the Opposition was in crisis due to simmering internal rifts.
Responding to a query by The Sunday Island, the Petroleum Minister said in spite of a section of the media and the Opposition speculating the possibility of the SLMC going on its own, the UPFA always felt confident the SLMC would throw its weight behind the ruling coalition.
The Island on June 30 revealed that the SLMC and the breakaway LTTE faction would contest on the UPFA ticket (EP PC poll: Pilleyan, SLMC on UPFA ticket)
The Colombo District MP said that three candidates representing Sinhala (Digamadulla), Tamil (Batticaloa) and Muslim (Trincomalee) communities would lead the three districts.
Asked whether a chief ministerial candidate would be named immediately, the UPFA General Secretary said: "let us first regain the EP PC."
Premjayanth said that those living in the EP wouldn’t let down the UPFA as they realized the war could never have been ended without the UPFA’s political leadership.
The minister pointed out that the first election to the EP PC was held in May 2008, just weeks after the Vanni offensive got underway. Having cleared the EP by June 2007, the UPFA wanted the people to decide on the first peacetime provincial administration in EP, he said.
In spite of the Opposition always trying to paint a bleak picture of the Northern and Eastern Provinces, the UPFA remained confident that rapid post-war economic growth in the two provinces would be a crucial factor at the forthcoming EP PC poll, the minister said.
Baticaloa District SLFP organizer, Arun Tambimuttu told The Sunday Island that those living in the East would never want to promote those who openly and clandestinely backed terrorism. The people of the East realized that there was peace in the province, though there were shortcomings. "Although shortcomings remain and much more needs to be done in EP no one wants to vote for those promoting separatist sentiments as well as division of the country on ethnic lines."
Tambimutu asserted that the TNA’s call for the re-merger of the EP with the NP had antagonized the vast majority of Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims living in the province. This could be a major issue in the run-up to the poll, he said. A victory for the UPFA would help national reconciliation efforts, he said adding that people would appreciate the release of vast majority of LTTE cadres following rehabilitation.
The UPFA strength was that the coalition had remained intact in spite of various interested parties trying to undermine it. The SLMC and the TMVP contesting on the UPFA ticket was a major plus for its ticket, whereas the TNA would find it difficult without the LTTE influence.
(Island)