Provincial, Presidential polls UNP to form broad political alliance

The UNP Working Committee yesterday decided to form the broadest possible alliance, with other political parties, in the run up to 2014, with strong speculation that President Mahinda Rajapaksa would call an early Presidential Election.


The meeting held under the Chairmanship of UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, discussed strategies that needed to be adopted to face several polls expected this year and the next, with the Northern Provincial Council Election to be held first in September, ahead of the November Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Colombo.

The WC also discussed the possibility of the Rajapaksa regime holding the Central and Wayamba Provincial Councils this year, sources said adding that there was a consensus to form the widest possible political alliance to face the ruling UPFA, which they believed would unleash the entire government machinery against the Opposition.

They said it was agreed to step up the party’s campaign against the Rajapaksa regime, which was frequently heaping more burdens on the masses, with the latest being the massive electricity hike that had hit the poor the hardest.

Having assessed the impact of the ‘People’s Assembly’, held in Colombo last Saturday, to discuss the UNP’s new constitutional formulation, it was the general view that the next meeting should be at village level, since a countrywide input was required for it to gain national acceptance.

The sources said that with many disciplinary inquiries pending, it was decided that they be expedited by either taking action or settling them, provided the accused were willing to tender an apology with a pledge to abide by the party’s code of conduct in the future.

Prior to the Working Committee Meeting, the Jathika Sevaka Sangamaya (JSS) met and elected the Chief Opposition Whip John Amaratunga as its new President. The post fell vacant with the death of Dr. Jayalath Jayawardena.

Addressing the members, Amaratunga said that with several elections due this year, they should actively participate in all JSS activities.

He reminded the membership that it was the trade unions that brought down the government of Srimavo Bandaranaike and they could do it again by sending the corrupt and dictatorial Rajapaksa regime home.

Urging the JSS to increase its numbers in the private sector as well, Amaratunga noted that it was an important segment which should be mobilized effectively in their bid to re-capture power.