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| Thursday, 20 May 2004 |
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Politics | |
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| Re-nomination for Ex-UNP PCs by Ariyaratne Ganegoda. All UNP members of the dissolved Provincial Councils are to receive nominations to contest the upcoming Provincial polls according to a top party official. In instances where the ex-UNP councillors will not seek re-nominations the party will introduce new faces with the accent laid youth from the grass roots the official added.The party nomination lists for the Uva and Central Province will be finalised today (20th) while nomination for the Uva and Central Province election closes tomorrow (21st). The reason for the delay in drawing up the lists were due to tussles within for nomination to the Chief Minister's post informed sources said. According to these sources the nomination Board of the Party has been put into difficulty due to attempts by former MPs Upali Samaraweera, Samaweera Weerawanni, R. M. Ratnayake and Vincent Dias to enter the fray. The last minute decision by Former UNP General Secretary Senarath Kapukotuwa to withdraw from Chief Minister's race in the Central Province on medical grounds had forced the Party to announce another nominee for the post. The candidature of Senarath Kapukotuwa had been met with resistance among the UNP organisation in the Central Province, the sources said. According to these sources there is a tug-of-war for the Chief Minister's candidacy between former MP Chitra Mantilake, one time opposition leader of the Central Province, former Chief Ministers Nandimithra Ekanayake and Wasantha Aluvihare and Provincial Minister Saliya Bandara Dissanayake. Meanwhile, no decision has yet been taken on the UNP nominee for the post of Chief Minister or on the list of candidates for the Western Province where nominations open on Friday and conclude on the 28th. The names of former Western Province Health and Women's Affairs Minister Lakshman Abeygunaratne and former WP opposition leader Kithsiri Kahatapitiya have been mentioned as prospective candidates for the Chief Minister's post. There are reports that the name of ex-WP Provincial Councillor Ajith Nivard Cabraal too had been proposed up as a possible candidate. However Cabraal had declined the offer. According to reports from the North Central Province the Party was very likely to nominate veteran politician and one time Cabinet Minister A. M. S. Adhikari as candidate for the Chief Minister post of the NCP. This is in accordance with promise made to Adhikari by the Party leadership ahead of the April 2 General Election. Meanwhile the name of W. B. Ekanayake currently an MP has also been mentioned as a likely candidate. In the Southern Province the names of several former Ministers and MPs have cropped up in the tussle for the Chief Minister's post. Among them are former Cabinet Minister Ananda Kularatne, former MP and one time SPC Minister Justin Galappaththy. However pressure is being brought on the Party leadership to appoint Galle District MP Gayantha Karunatilake to contest for the Chief Minister's post by the Galle District Party organisation. |
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