PC polls :

UPFA confident

Chaminda PERERA

The SLFP is confident of a landslide victory at the forthcoming Central and North Western Provincial election with the support of other parties in the UPFA , Ceylon Workers’ Congress and the Up Country People’s Liberation Front, said SLFP General Secretary and Agriculture and Agrarian Services Development Minister Maithreepala Sirisena.

Addressing the media at the Mahaweli Centre, the Minister said the Government had invited the National Freedom Front to contest the Provincial Council election under the UPFA ticket. He also extended an open invitation to the patriotic factions in the UNP and JVP to join the Government’s path to victory.

“We are not hesitant to face the people. As a people-friendly Government, we are ready to put our Government’s policies and programmes to the test before the public court, the Minister said.

The Minister said the Government’s victory is a foregone conclusion. An independent survey has indicated that the Government will enjoy a landslide victory at this election.“The SLFP has planned a comprehensive election campaign to ensure the Government’s victory at the forthcoming Central and North Central Provincial Council election,” he explained.

The Government has also appointed senior Cabinet Ministers to each district to man electioneering. Accordingly, Power and Energy Minister W.D.J. Seneviratne will lead the Nuwara Eliya district while Ministers Dullas Allahapperuma, Maithreepala Sirisena, Nimal Siripala de Silva and Susil Premajayantha will lead Matale, Kandy, Kurunegala and Puttalam districts respectively.

“He said the party has appointed 15 persons for a polling centre and they are tasked to educate the clergy, civil society representatives and other organisations in the respective area.

“The SLFP has set up two Nomination Boards for the selection of right candidates through interviews. . The Central Province Nominations Board headed by Transport Minister Dullas Allahapperuma will meet on December 19 and 20 while the North Western Nominations Board chaired by Labour Minister Athauda Seneviratne select candidates ”, he said. The Minister said the SLFP would finalise the nomination list by December 20 while other parties in the UPFA will make their representations to the Nomination list through the National Election Committee headed by Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayaka by December 22 .

“President Mahinda Rajapaksa will make the final decision on the nomination lists forward by the National Election Committee on December 24”, the Minister said.