Steady erosion in Colombo’s UNP vote base - Ministers

Nadira GUNATILLEKE

‘For the first time in CMC history, a mayor of the minority (not ethnically but mathematically) has been appointed to the Colombo Municipal Council.

‘Also, for the first time in CMC history, the UNP has scored less than 50 percent of votes in Colombo at the recent LG polls, Skills Development and Youth Affairs Minister Dullas Alahapperuma told the Daily News yesterday.

Minister Alahapperuma	Minister Aluthgamage

Minister Alahapperuma pointed out that in LG polls 2002 the UNP scored 57.83 per cent of votes with 32 seats.

This time it only secured 43 per cent of votes with 24 seats. But when comparing the LG polls in 2002 and 2011 the UPFA shows a clear advance.

“The UPFA secured only 16.06 per cent of votes in LG polls 2002 with only eight seats but this time it hsd scored 32.5 per cent of votes with 16 seats (double), showing a significant increase.

“There is no difference between an election conducted at Sirikotha to elect the next UNP leader and the recent CMC election.

During this election, the Opposition Leader loyalists came forward defeating all other factions.

The UPFA carried out an intelligent election campaign while the UNP addressed the people’s emotions. This time the heart won over the brain, Minister Alahapperuma added.

Meanwhile, Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage said, the vote base of the UNP shows a clear decline when comparing the LG polls 2011 and LG polls 2002.

The UNP today is not the same as in the past, he said.

According to the minister, there is a clear decline in the vote base of the UNP. In 2002, the UNP obtained 136,854 votes with 32 seats in the CMC Colombo Municipal Council but this year it only obtained 101,920 votes with 24 seats.

Minister Aluthgamage pointed out that the UNP had dignity, good leadership, policies and second level leaders in the past.

“Today the UNP does not have any of those. Therefore, the UNP will soon become a small political party similar to some of the leftist political parties,” he said.

”The present leader has done nothing for the country. President Mahinda Rajapaksa ended the 30-year long brutal war, commenced a massive development drive and became a people’s President by winning the faith and love of the public.

The people know how much he loves his motherland. Non existence of a strong Opposition is not favourable for a country but there is not even a sign of a recovery by the UNP, Minister Aluthgamage added.