Over 5,000 Kandy UNPers joining UPFA - Minister

Rasika Somarathna

The United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) yesterday claimed that 5,000 UNP members from the Kandy district would join the UPFA on Sunday, including 25 of its Pradeshiya Sabha members out of a total of 47.

Transport Minister Dullas Alahapperuma addressing the media asserted that the UNP political propaganda machinery today was in a state of paralysis and they were yet to encounter any sort of competition in their campaign trail for stakes in the Central and Northwestern Provincial Council elections.

The Minister noted that the UNP’s vote bank today was under severe erosion and this was clearly reflected in their plight in the Central province, which had been a traditional UNP stronghold.

In contrast, the UPFA campaign was in full swing with 15 registered political parties and 10 other groups backing the UPFA campaign, the Minister added.

In the other four districts too, the same trend prevails, the Minister added while claiming that the Yapahuwa UNP organizer and a large number of its supporters in the area had voiced their support for the UPFA.

The Minister claimed that the exodus from the UNP was a result of its weak organizational skills and its insensitive attitude towards people’s needs.

In addition, people had endorsed the Government’s efforts which amply reflected in the overwhelming support encountered in the campaign trail, the Minister added.

Door to door campaigns would lend the initial push to reach out to 25 per cent of the voters in the five districts, with every household being visited at least three times before elections.

The mega rallies would follow later with President Mahinda Rajapaksa attending five meetings in Matale, Maskeliya, Nattandiya, Kurunegala and Kandy and 10 are to be conducted in identified locations in five districts, under Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayaka’s patronage.

In addition, 23 other meetings would be held in the five districts with several UPFA leaders in attendance and 74 other political meetings has been organised at local level, the Minister said.

Minister Alahapperuma also claimed that the UPFA campaign was proceeding in an organised manner and strict orders had been relayed to its supporters to refrain from interfering or harassing other party members.