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from Ravi Ladduwahetty in Matale

The voters of this country gave the PA a mandate for six years last year and this election now has to be held for the benefit of the dissidents, Former Speaker and PA Gampaha District Leader Anura Bandaranaike told the second PA polls rally at the Bernard Aluwihare Stadium in Matale.

He said "the people of this country have given the President to govern this country for another six years and that was a convincing victory by a majority of 1.4 million votes. But when I saw what was happening from the Speaker's Chair on October 9, I felt thoroughly ashamed".

"It is patently clear and obvious that the dissidents have been supported and paid by corrupt businessmen and bookmakers. This is because the party's funds have been very limited. last year it gave all its candidates only Rs. 100,000 to contest the polls. So, how can the party afford to pay all the dissidents Rs. 30 million each," Bandaranaike queried.

"The UNP is desperately struggling. They have already lost 11 elections and when they lose the 12th one on December 5, the UNP will be entering the guiness Book of Records," he said. The UNP knows well now that defeat is imminent in their faces.

The LTTE has been banned in countries such as the United States United Kingdom and Canada. All the accounts of the LTTE and it's supporters, will be frozen. Then the LTTE will be brought to its knees.

"There are over 40 suicide bombers on the prowl in Colombo who have been sent to assassinate the President, Prime Minister and all these activities have the blessings of the UNP," he alleged.

"It is indeed sad that former Ministers S. B. Dissanayake, Nandimitra Ekanayake and others who were nurtured by the President are backbiting her".

SB has said "that he will bring 100,000 people to storm the President's House when the PA lose the elections. We will be bringing 500,000 people. The UNP is trying to make out that it has already won the polls. It knows that it cannot. Whoever wins the polls has to take instructions from the President who is Defence Minister and also the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces. The UNP will not be able to wreak havoc."

Deputy Minister of Health Janaka Bandara Tennakoon said "my father was a poor man who sold poetry sheets and it was his opinion that the Tennakoons should be with the Bandaranaikes. Although the 12 dissidents went from the party for money, we will never compromise our principles for money. It is very good that Nandimithra Ekanayake left the party. We have been able to consolidate ourselves".

Former Sri Lanka cricket captain Arjuna Ranatunga said "my father has been in SLFP politics for the last 40 years. I have represented the country at cricket for 18 years and it is time for me to serve the nation through politics. I am here to serve the nation in the fields of sports and youth affairs and I know that I can serve the nation as I believe in clean politics. I have no special favoured treatment whether it is blue, green, red, or any other colour. My objective is to serve sports. I can also remember coming to Matale to play in a charity match".

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Copyright 2001 The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd.
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