Appointment of LG Heads:

UPFA to follow same policy as in previous elections

Chaminda PERERA

UPFA General Secretary and Petroleum Resources Development Minister Susil Premajayantha yesterday said that the Heads of Local Government bodies would be nominated by the UPFA after the election except the Colombo Municipal Council.

The minister added that the policy taken by the UPFA in respect of appointing the Heads of Local Government in previous elections will be applied at this election. The minister insisted that the UPFA only announced its mayoral candidate for the CMC. The policy decision taken by the party with regard to the appointment of Local Government Heads in the previous elections would apply to these institutions except the Colombo Municipal Council, the minister said.

Minister Susil Premajayantha was speaking at a recent election rally at Delkanda in support of Deepal Chandrakantha running for the Kotte Municipal Council.

The UPFA’s Kotte chief organizer Rohitha Bogollagama and Western Provincial Councillor Mahinda Kuruwita were among those present.

The minster said that the UPFA has fielded a strong contingent comprising nine former Municipal Councillors. Minister Premajayantha also added that the Colombo Municipal Council will definitely be won by the UPFA at the forthcoming election that is to be held on October 07. The minister was of the view that the fissures in the UNP has widened and members at grass roots level have started leaving the party.

He added that the Kotte Municipal Council was held by progressive forces except on a few occasions.

Minister Premajayantha opined that the people have started thinking of the development programmes implemented by President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s government beyond their political perceptions.