SLFP to contest on its own

By Shantha Chandrasiri and Ranjith Rajapaksa 

Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) is planning to contest the upcoming local government election on its own and not to be a constituent party of an alliance formed by the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna, the United National Party or the JVP. 

Deputy General Secretary of the SLFP and former Chief Minister, Central Province Sarath Ekanayake told the media yesterday during the meeting of SLFP electoral organisers in the Nuwara Eliya District that they would contest the election for local authorities in all districts and campaign for victory. 

“SLFP founded by former Prime Minister S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike had faced serious debacles and landslide victories as well. Since 1994, the country has been governed by a President of the SLFP. The present President has come to power without public opinion in his favour. The SLFP wields power in every electorate and we would demonstrate it at the local government election. 

Meanwhile, Ceylon Workers’ Congress has taken a similar decision. It has decided to contest the Local Government Election under the Fowl symbol as an independent political party.  Senior Vice Chairman of the party Kanapathi Kanagarajah told the media that this decision was taken at a meeting held under the chairmanship of General Secretary of the CWC, Parliamentarian Jeevan Thondaman and attended by senior leaders and the candidates contesting the local government election. He pointed out that the CWC had contested every successive election since as a constituent party of an alliance and that its position in the political arena could be judged by contesting the local government election under the party symbol. He further said the percentage of votes polled by other political parties would be reduced to a certain extent when the CWC contested independently under the party symbol. 

He was of opinion that it was disadvantages to the CWC, to contest as a constituent party of an alliance.