Minister predicts landslide victory for UPFA

Mohammed Naalir

COLOMBO: The UNP will record a historic defeat in the North Central and Sabaragamuwa Provincial Council elections on August 23. The UPFA will record a landslide victory, Transport Minister Dullas Alahapperuma said yesterday.

Minister Alahapperuma was addressing the media at the Mahaweli Centre Auditorium yesterday.

He said that the main reason for the UNP’s defeat in the North Central Province and Sabaragamuwa is Chief Ministerial candidates being appointed from Colombo and Negombo.

There are 13 other reasons for the defeat of the UNP in the polls, he said.

Minister Alahapperuma said the UNP has held only 361 election propaganda campaigns and rallies while the UPFA has held more than 1,500 election rallies and propaganda campaigns in both provinces.

The UNP doesn’t have a well planned election propaganda, while it also did not carry out any development work during its rule, Alahapperuma said.

During Wickremesinghe’s rule no Cabinet ministerial posts were given to persons from Ratnapura and Polonnaruwa districts while there were reputed UNP Parliamentarians in the district.

The people in both provinces have realised President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s contribution and Ranil Wickremesinghe’s failure to fulfil masses’ needs, he said.

“Due to the internal crisis, Wickremesinghe has lost his place among its members.

The public are supporting President Rajapaksa for taking a firm decision to eradicate terrorism from the country,” Alahapperuma said.

He said Wickremesinghe had failed to get UNP parliamentarians to the NCP and Sabaragamuwa for election propaganda campaigns.

“This is because they were not pleased with chief ministerial candidates being appointed from other areas, the people have realised that casting votes for the UNP will strengthen the LTTE once again,” the Minister said.

“Several patriotic parties have joined hands with President Rajapaksa and have strengthened his hands in his journey to eradicate terrorism.

The prelates support the President,” he said. Health Care and Nutrition Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva said the UPFA has held village level and city level propaganda campaigns.

It has also conducted door to door propaganda campaigns, the Minister said.

UPFA candidates have a large following. This is confirmed by the large supporters during election rallies, de Silva said. “The masses should not forget the development work carried out by the Government led by President Rajapaksa,” he said.

Prominent UNP supporters are continuously joining the UPFA fed up with the Ranil Wickremesinghe administration, de Silva said.

Minister de Silva said the UPFA will easily win the election.

The infrastructure and community developments carried out by the Government will take the UPFA to the peak of victory, de Silva added.