President to keep away from local polls campaign

• Says he was not appointed as President for two years to engage in elections but to revive the shattered economy

By Yohan Perera   

President Ranil Wickremesinghe has officially informed the UNP that he will not participate in any campaign for the local government election which is expected to be held some time this year.  The President has said he was not appointed as President for two years to engage in elections but to revive the shattered economy. “ I cannot do this outside this mandate,” he said during a meeting he had with UNP seniors.    

He had further informed the UNP seniors that he will only chair the party’s working committee meetings to enable the party to make decisions in the event it decides to contest the polls.   
“It is good if UNP fields 40 percent of new faces at the local government election,” he said.   

Also he informed that funds are allocated for only 4000 members of local government members this year