Former Panadura UC chairman's funeral held

Kapila Somaratne - Panadura group correspondent

Advocate Lenin Fernando, the doyen of the Panadura Leftist Movement died at the age of 84 last Wednesday.

His cremation took place at the Panadura Minuwanpitiya Public Cemetery on November 3.

His body was kept at the Panadura Urban Council to honour his services rendered to Panadura as the chairman of the Panadura Urban Council.

Lenin was elected to the Panadura Urban Council thrice and was elected as the Chairman of the Panadura Urban Council.

He started his political carrier with late Leslie Gunawardena LSSP MP for Panadura.

At the age of 24 he was a law student and contested the Panadura Urban Council Election under the Lanka Sama Samaja Party on 1954. He was elected as the Councillor of Walana Ward defeating the UNP Councillor with a large majority of votes.

He was elected as the Chairman of the Panadura Urban Council subsequently in 1991. He contested the Walana Ward and won the election. He was again elected as the Chairman of the Panadura Urban Council.

He joined the Sri Lanka Freedom Party as a breakaway group from the LSSP and again contested the Panadura Ubran Council and elected as the Chairman for the third time.

As the Chairman of the Panadura Urban Council he served the public equally. He was a prominent speaker when he got on to the political platform. He left his wife and three daughters. Lenin had a lucrative law practice in Panadura Court.