Survey points to UPFA landslide says Dullas

Dharma SRI ABEYRATNE

The United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) will definitely record a landslide victory at the September 8 election according to a latest survey, Youth Affairs Minister Dullas Alahapperuma said. “The UPFA is contesting the election with the confidence of gaining victory because the UPFA government carried out unprecedented development in the provinces during the past four years.

The UPFA launched its victorious election campaign from Anuradhapura under the patronage of President Mahinda Rajapaksa," Minister Alahapperuma added.

The minister was addressing a press conference at the Mahaweli Centre, Colombo yesterday regarding the election campaign launched under the theme 'Let's proceed as one nation'.

He said 14 main elections rallies will be held until September 5. The next rally will be in Ratnapura on August 26 and Ampara on August 27 with the participation of the President. The UPFA has held 2,400 pocket meetings at grass roots level. The victorious final rally will be held on September 5.

The minister said the government regrets the inconvenience caused by an election meeting to students sitting the A-L examinations at an examination centre in Anuradhapura. Steps have been taken to avoid a repetition, he said.

The Opposition, especially the UNP, fears these elections as they know they will definitely be defeated, he said.

"The Opposition tried to make use of the drought in many parts of the country for political gain," the minister said.

He said after eradicating terrorism, the government has put the country on the course of rapid development.

"At this juncture, the Opposition understands they cannot win this election using foolish political tack tics. The UNP will be pushed back to third or fourth place in the Eastern province," Alahapperuma said.

"As usual, all ethnicities will be united under the UPFA banner to contest the PCs. Politically the UPFA is stable in all three PCs. Therefore, the UPFA will definitely win all three PCs and the government is confident about victory. The government has ensured the democratic right and freedom of the people. However it is a matter for regret that some political parties are rousing ethnicity to win votes," the minister said.

The minister challenged the UNP to obtain at least five seats in the Eastern Provincial Council.

Parliamentarian Prabha Ganeshan said the people in the Eastern Province will definitely vote for the UPFA.

He said the TNA has been putting forward the same slogan from 2008 that the government has failed to fulfill the Tamil people's aspirations.

"But it is clear that the TNA is keen to create issues among the people in the province since it has no future without disputes. The government will score a significant victory in the Eastern Province," Ganeshan said. Minister Vasudeva Nanayakkara said the patriotic far- sighted people will stand with the UPFA. Holding elections on time is a sign of a vibrant democracy. The people-friendly government will never devalue the election system by taking cowardly steps and destroying democracy. The UPFA will help conduct a peaceful election, he added.