It is the ruling party which published that a presidential election will be held in January next year

By Yohan Perera and Dharashana Sanjeewa
The United National Party (UNP) which expressed its satisfaction about its performance at the Uva Provincial Council elections yesterday threw a challenge at the government to hold a national election as soon as possible.

UNP General Secretary Tissa Attanayake told a media briefing that his party was ready to face a national election in January next year or even earlier.  “It is the ruling party which published that a presidential election will be held in January next year and we urge them to hold the election in January or even before,” Mr. Attanayake said

Also he said the UNP is ready to face any national election be it a presidential or a general election.  Mr. Atttanayake who analyzed the results of Saturday’s Provincial Council election said the vote bank of the government has been eroded. Accordingly he said the ruling UPFA which obtained 72 percent at the Uva Provincial Council elections in 1999 had obtained only 53 percent in this election. Also he said the government had lost six seats in the Uva Provincial Council this year

He said the postal vote results of the Uva Provincial Council elections this year had created an interesting trend as it is visible that the votes of the security forces, police and the public servants had begun to shift towards the opposition.  A significant achievement of the UNP at this election according to Mr. Attanayake was that the party had been able to stop the eroding of its Sinhala Buddhist vote base to some extent in this election as the a slice of votes in Moneragala District had shifted towards the party this time.

However he said the distribution of Rs 2500 for drought affected families had a negative impact on the UNP.