parties say ready for LG polls

By Sandun A. Jayasekera

All the mainstream political parties yesterday assured that they are ready for the local Government (LG) polls and busy with conducting interviews to select candidates.

General Secretary of the UNP, Palitha Range Bandara said interviews to select UNP candidates for the LG polls would be started Wednesday (4) and a large number of applications have been received by now.
Dismissing rumours circulating in the media that the UNP is to contest the polls in alliance with the SLPP, Range Bandara said no such decision has been arrived up to now.

“Not only with the SLPP, we are ready to join with any other political party or alliance to contest the election, but not a final decision has been taken so far. The UNP has not held any official level discussion with the SLPP either up to now,” he told Daily Mirror. General Secretary of the SLPP, Parliamentarian Sagara Kariyawasam also confirmed that no official level discussions have been held with the UNP up to now with the aim of forming an alliance.
The SLPP would contest the election for all LG bodies with like-minded political parties and groups in an alliance. Talks in this regard are continuing, he stressed.  

Former Speaker and General Secretary of the UPFA, Thilanga Sumathipala said the SLFP and the UPFA would contest the LG elections as an alliance either under the ‘hand’ or ‘betel’ leaf symbol.

The alliance will contest for all 340 LG bodies and interviews would be held on January 3, 4 and 5 after the gazette is released calling nominations by the election commission. The Uththara Lanka Sabhagaya (ULS) has begun vigorous negotiations with a number of political parties and alliances to contest the upcoming LG polls in a broad alliance.

“We conduct these talks in a level playing field position as there will be no anyone who demands a lion’s share at these talks,” Mr. Alahapperuma stressed. The ULS expects to contest all 340 LG bodies, he added.
The JVP parliamentarian Vijitha Herath told Daily Mirror that the party was fully prepared for the LG polls if the government holds the election.

Mr. Herath cast doubt on the possibility of the government conducting LG polls and added if the government holds poll, the JVP was ready. “We are in full gear to contest the LG polls under the Jathika Janabala Sandanaya (JJS) All arrangements have been made by the JJS for polls,” Mr. Herath told Daily Mirror.

The TNA’s former parliamentarian Mavai Senathirajah told Daily Mirror that he could not say anything specific at the moment as the Election Commission is still to issue the gazette calling nominations.

“We have held talks with other political parties in the North East at Batticaloa in order to form a broad alliance to contest the LG polls. But nothing is finalized as yet”, he added.