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| Tuesday, 3 February 2004 |
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Politics | |
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| SLFP-JVP alliance will win more seats than UNF-SU Publicity Secretary by Asela Kuruluwansa and R.M. Ratnayake, Kandy South special correspondent Sihala Urumaya Publicity Secretary Udaya Gammanpila said the new SLFP-JVP Alliance will definitely win more parliamentary seats than the UNF if the country went in for a general election any moment from now. He was addressing a public meeting to mark the opening of a Sihala Urumaya Kandy District Office at Gannoruwa Road, Peradeniya on Sunday (February 1). Gammanpila said his party was now awaiting the release of the new Alliance manifesto. If that manifesto was truly intended to protect and safeguard the country the Sihala Urumaya would lend its unstinted support to it even though it did not join the Alliance. Mr. Gammanpila warned that if the new Alliance tried to carry forward the peace process stalled by the UNF, it would ultimately end up with the setting up of Eelam. He said this country would have been a paradise by now if all the pious promises held out by various parties and Alliances while in the opposition were implemented to the letter and spirit once they gained power. By clamouring for a general election the JVP was only playing into the hands of the LTTE. If a general election was held immediately the 'remote control' mentioned by the JVP would go into the hands of the LTTE, Mr. Gammanpila said. The Sinhala Buddhist forces awakened after the demise of Ven. Soma Thera were now drawing in favour of the Sihala Urumaya. In this situation the Sihala Urumaya too would gain parliamentary representation in the event of a general election. But in the North the LTTE would not allow Mr. Douglas Devananda of the EPDP or Mr. Anandasangaree of the TNA to engage in political activities there. In this background the LTTE backed groups would win between 23 to 45 parliamentary seats and capture a bargaining position if a general election is held. Therefore, the Sihala Urumaya subscribed to the view that it was imprudent to hold a General election before Provincial Council elections. Sihala Urumaya leader Tilak Karunaratne said the people were today clamouring not so much for a solution to the North East problem but for solutions to bring down the cost of living, create more employment opportunities, prevent the breakdown of the economy and clear the present political stalemate. Kandy MMC Ven. Udawatte Nanda thera, Sihala Urumaya Senior Working Committee member H.M. Kotakadeniya Party District Secretary Dr. Ranjith Ruberu and Kandy District Organiser Thushara Swarnatillake were also present. |
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