UPFA gears up for LG polls

Chaminda PERERA

The SLFP led United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) has already started its election campaign to ensure the party’s victory at the forthcoming Local Government election on March 17.

A special meeting to educate SLFP organizers, Provincial Councillors and candidates would be held at Temple Trees today.

According to SLFP General Secretary and Health Minister Maitripala Sirisena, President Mahinda Rajapaksa will participate at UPFA cooperation meetings in every district from next week.

He said these meetings will help promote amity and cooperation between members of the coalition parties at district level. Addressing a special press briefing at the Mahaweli Centre yesterday, the Health Minister condemned the speech made by Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe at the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association meeting.

He said the Opposition Leader was engaged in an exercise of betraying the country, when the country was on the verge of being liberated by the Security Forces.

The SLFP General Secretary stressed that the UNP Leader should do away with the practise of tarnishing the image of his own Motherland at international level.

Minister Sirisena said the rift in the UNP is deepening and infighting is continuing for the leadership.

He was of the view that the UNP should think of how the internal crisis in the party should be defeated rather than thinking of its victory at the forthcoming LG election which will never be a reality.

“The UNP’s internal crisis will take a new turn with its humiliating defeat after March 17,” he said.

“The United National Party is facing a series of internal crises due to a number of wrong decisions taken by them when in power. They are now facing the wrath of the Gods. The UNP Government became unpopular mainly due to the Ceasfire Agreement between UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe and the terrorists,” he said.