The UNP is attempting to strike a deal with the government over the administration of the local government bodies where their nominations lists and that of the UPFA were rejected.

The UNP has suggested that they be allowed to administer the Colombo Municipal Council and for the UPFA to take over the Uda Palatha and Elpitiya local bodies, political sources said yesterday (29).

Secretary General of the UNP N. V. K. K. Weragoda said the idea was something the UNP had thought about when the UNP nominations list for the CMC was rejected by the Elections Authority. "There are many options open to us and we should work out an agreement."

Deputy Secretary of the party Tissa Attanayake said it was useless entering into a conflict with the government over the administration of the local bodies as people had already voted for certain groups or parties. He said if negotiations with the government to come to settlement over the issue fail they were prepared to support salutary amendments to the law and if everything fails the UNP was ready to seek legal redress.

UPFA General Secretary Susil Premajayantha, Leader of the House Nimal Siripala De Silva, SLFP General Secretary Maithripala Sirisena and Government’s Defence Spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella and other ministers could not be contacted for a comment since they were abroad.

Senior SLFP trade union leader and Governor Western Province, Alavi Mowlana, said the ramifications of swapping the administration of local bodies between the UPFA and the UNP could not be explained simply. He said it was too early to know what the leaders in the government would decide.