Milinda, UPFA’s Colombo mayoral choice

UNP, JVP to submit nominations on Aug 24,25:

Rasika SOMARATHNA

Presidential advisor and former Justice Minister Milinda Moragoda is expected to be named the UPFA candidate for the post of Colombo mayor.

A senior Cabinet Minister said that Moragoda was the front runner for the post and he was most likely to be named as the UPFA mayoral candidate for Colombo. UPFA sources said that the party had finalised its nominations for the upcoming local polls and they would be handed over during the next few days.

Nominations for the elections in 17 Municipal Councils, one Urban Council and five Pradeshiya Sabhas opened on August 18 and will continue until August 25. Meanwhile, the main Opposition United National Party (UNP) and the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) have decided to submit nominations on August 24 and 25.

UNP sources said that the party had not yet decided on a mayoral candidate for Colombo.

All Municipal Councils in major cities including Colombo, Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia, Gampaha, Negombo, Kandy, Galle, Matara, Hambantota, Kurunegala, Matale, Badulla, Anuradhapura and Ratnapura are to hold polls. The elections which is most likely to be held in October is the third stage of local government elections. The forthcoming polls is the final phase of LG polls.

During the first and second stages of the LG polls, the UPFA recorded comfortable victories winning 250 out of 299 local bodies that went for elections. Elections for 234 local authorities was held on March 17 this year and the UPFA won 205 of them. On July 23, elections for 65 local councils were held including 26 in the Northern Province. The UPFA won 45 councils. On both stages several councils were also won by other political parties supporting the UPFA.