Archives

by Jayantha Sri Nissanka

Major Political parties plan to gear up the election campaign from this week which seems to be dull at present.

Meanwhile, Tamil parties are in a dilemma whether the Election in the North and East will postpone or not.

However, small parties have already begun their campaign after handing over nomination papers. The candidates of major parties have begun a silent campaign though there is no backing from their parties.

The Election Committee of the UNP will meet today evening in order to make strategies to conduct the campaign, UNP Media Spokesman Gayantha Karunatilake told the Daily News.

Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapakse said that their party has already launched the campaign. "We conduct house to house campaign and pocket meetings," he said.

President Kumaratunga is leading the campaign while meeting all candidates who contest the election. The theme of the PA campaign is "Reduce the unbearable Cost of Living".

The JVP had begun their campaign with a major rally in Galle and plans to hold 23 major rallies. In addition, 3,000 pocket meetings have been arranged, Propaganda Secretary Wimal Weerawansa said.

The theme of the JVP campaign is" Defeat the Government which betrays the nation and a trying to sell the nation".

Leader of the New Left Front Dr.Wickramabahu Karunaratne said that the party plans to have 200 pocket meetings in the country other than five districts meetings. "We have so far conducted many meetings in various district which were well attended", he said.

The theme of the NLF campaign is " Support the Peace process and empower the poor".

Leader of the Democratic Left Front Vasudewa Nanayakkara said that the party candidates contest in 15 districts and plans to hold 50 meetings in these areas. "Already we have conducted 30 meetings", he said.

The DLF is conducting their campaign on three themes- "Support the peace initiative against the warmongers, oppose implementing World Bank Policies, democratisation of the country".

Senior member of the Tamil National Alliance Siva Sithambaram said that the TNA wants the postponement of the election. He said that Election Commissioner Dayananda Dissanayake had met all the GAs in the North and East and some of the GAs had pointed out that the atmosphere in their respective areas are not conducive to hold the election.

EPDP Spokesman S.Thavaraja said that they are prepared to face the election and question why the TNA wants a postponement. "This election will not derail the peace process. The situation now is much better than at the time of the compared with earlier elections", he added.

He accepted that the campaign is not active when compared with earlier elections. The EPDP controls 10 out of 17 Councils, he added.

However, Election Commissioner in a meeting with all Government Agents in the North and East areas on Saturday had asked them to prepare for the election. He had told them that the election will be held as scheduled on March 25 in the North and East and March 20 in the rest of the country, Election Department Sources said.

Manager of the Samayawardane Printers W.A.Premachandra said that they did not get enough printing orders of posters from candidates who are contesting the election.

Proprietor of the Print Shop Sarath Gunawardane too said that he received small orders from a few candidates. Unlike in the past this campaign seems to be dull, he added. 

News | Business | Features | Editorial | Security
Politics | World | Letters | Sports | Obituaries |

Produced by Lake House
Copyright 2001 The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd.
Comments and suggestions to :Web Manager