A television advertisement promoting Nauzer, son of Petroleum Minister A. H. M. Fowzie who escaped death in a recent LTTE terror attack at Akuressa, highlighted the pathetic and deteriorating state of the ruling coalition’s propaganda campaign.

Nauzer is among the sons of politicians in the fray with others being Prime Minister’s son Vidura (Kalutara), slain UNP stalwart Gamini Dissanayake’s son, Mayantha (Colombo) (he is executive director of the Ceylon Shipping Corporation) contesting on the UPFA ticket, UNP MP Joseph Michael Perera’s son, Srinath (Gampaha) and UNP MP Sarathchandra Rajakaruna’s son, Harshana (Gampaha).

The campaign promoted Nauzer as the son of a minister who survived the recent LTTE suicide attack directed at a function at Godapitiya, Akuressa on Prophet Mohamed’s birthday. Had anyone considered Fowzie’s escape as a reason for backing his son at yesterday’s elections to the Western Provincial Council, they would have forgotten the Supreme Court condemnation of the damaging oil hedging affair involving several banks.

The last minute move to capitalize on the Godapitiya massacre is part of Fowzie’s strategy to help his only son to retain his place in the WPC. It obviously was in line with the government strategy of LTTE bashing to promote the UPFA and its candidates.

The Fowzies are under heavy pressure in the Colombo district where the battle among candidates representing the ruling coalition for preference votes was tough. With the likes of Thilanga Sumathipala and R. Duminda Silva receiving the public endorsement of several SLFP ministers including Maithripala Sirisena, General Secretary of the party, many UPFA candidates had been placed in a difficult position.

Sumathipala and Silva, both formerly with the UNP, had switched allegiance to President Mahinda Rajapaksa after the last presidential election in November 2005. In fact, the two moneybags turned their campaigns over the last two months to a virtual battle for preference votes against each other.

Interestingly none them had based their campaigns on the triumph of government security forces over the LTTE.

Sumathipala maneuvered Maithripala Sirisena, Nimal Siripala de Silva and Pavitradevi Wanniarachchi to back his candidature. He went to the extent of using Professor Carlo Fonseka in his multi-million rupee campaign.

Leading UNP Colombo District candidate, Rosy Senanayake, is on record saying that she wouldn’t have run at the election if she had the kind of money spent by the two UPFA candidates. Although she didn’t name them, it was an obvious reference to Sumathipala and Silva whose expenditure had surpassed any previous campaign spending by a provincial council candidate.

Ms Senanayake who is expected to be among the top in the UNP list felt that the UPFA candidates were aiming to win the elections only on the basis of their free spending. She asserted that they didn’t have anything else to offer.

Sumathipala has obviously antagonized some in his own camp. Last Wednesday’s attempt to disrupt his campaign in the Kolonnawa electorate was evidence of the enmity caused by the Lakbima publisher’s growing clout in the city.

Speculation is that a former Colombo District MP ordered his henchmen to target Sumathipala’s campaign. To his credit, Sumathipala, a former UNP Polonnaruwa District organizer, went ahead with his meetings. His critic published an advertisement urging voters not to back those who switch sides but choose those committed to the SLFP.

Sumathipala is one of the leading aspirants for the post of the Chief Minister with former CM Reginald Cooray and Prasanna Ranatunga, too, seeking the post. Cooray and Ranatunga contested Kalutara and Gampaha districts respectively. Cooray found it tough in Kalutara with Ranjith Somawansa and Vidura Wickremanayake, the PM’s son, campaigning for the top slot in the Kalutara district.

At the last parliamentary elections Vidura contested Kalutara in place of his father and when he was not elected, then President Chandrika Kumaratunga brought Ratnasiri Wickremanayake back to Parliament through the much abused National List. In his campaign Vidura had subtly criticized Cooray.

Cooray triggered a damaging battle within the SLFP by repeatedly reiterating his demand for the CM’s post although an influential section of the party wanted him replaced. A section of the SLFP targeted Cooray with Kalutara District MP Rohitha Abeygoonewardena leading an all out attack. Although the SLFP General Secretary demanded an end to criticism of Cooray at a meeting at Temple Trees chaired by President Mahinda Rajapaksa, he did absolutely nothing to save Cooray, the party man.

In the Gampaha District, Ranatunga triggered another clash when he wooed an employee of SLFP MP and Attanagalle organizer Sarana Gunawardena. An angry MP ended up storming his former employee’s Yakkala residence and pistol whipping him before abducting the employee’s 12-year-old son. Police are yet to arrest the MP. The National Child Protection Authority (NCPA), too, remains silent.

Another UPFA candidate Kingsley Kasturiarachchi, a nominee of the dissident JVP faction contesting the Gampaha district, although wanted over the killing of JVP activist Nandana Ballage remained free throughout the campaign due to inaction of the police. Kasturiarachchi was photographed in the company of a police officer days after the only killing in the entire campaign. Despite overwhelming evidence of the involvement of JVP dissidents in the planned attack, police had failed to do their job.

The UNP also accused the police of turning a blind eye to the high handed actions of UPFA candidate, Ajmal Mawjood, contesting the Colombo District. The UNP went to the extent of alleging that IGP Jayantha Wickremaratne had shielded Mowjood accused of terrorizing Muslims supporting the UNP, particularly in Colombo Central, Colombo North and Borella areas.

In another incident, Hector Bethmage, a former Minister of the WPC had shot and wounded a person as he was mobbed by supporters of a rival from his party in the Nawagamuwa police area. Bethmage and his colleague, Gamini Tillakasiri, also a UPFA candidate contesting the Colombo district, had been investigated for helping a gangster wanted for an attempted murder taking refuge in the UK. The assassin’s wife, too, had reached the UK with their assistance. Although the SLFP had found both them guilty of the offence both received nominations to contest.

Interestingly, Sumathipala, too, had been investigated for a similar charge. He too was accused of helping an assassin to escape to the UK. R. Duminda Silva, too, had been in news over his noisy fight with actress Anarkali and her mother as well as several other cases which would have landed him in serious trouble if he hadn’t switched allegiance to the ruling party.

Former UNP member of the WPC Lakshman Abeygunaratne is the only runner in the green corner to openly seek the post of the Chief Minister in the unlikely event of a UNP victory.

Although any right thinking person would welcome Elections Commissioner Dayananda Dissanayake’s recent appeal to voters to reject candidates involved in violence, waste, corruption or any irregularity, the outcome of WPC polls wouldn’t be different from any other previous poll. Voters have repeatedly proved that only candidates with money, muscle and influence could succeed in an election at any level. Among the candidates was one investigated by the police for allegedly helping some unscrupulous elements engage in human smuggling via the Bandaranaike International Airport.

As the armed forces’ successful war against the LTTE helped the government to win elections to the first Eastern PC followed by Sabaragamuwa, North Central, Central and Wayamba, yesterday’s poll too was fought on the same basis. Shortly after polling began at 7 a.m., both the ITN and Rupavahini launched live telecast of programs in support the government on the basis of armed forces success.

The decision to storm the civilian safe zone ahead of the WPC election regardless of mounting international pressure led by the US to suspend the offensive and pave the way for negotiations, gave a turbo boost to UPFA candidates. President Rajapaksa had taken a tough decision, perhaps the toughest ever taken by a Sri Lankan President, to stand up to unprecedented international pressure on this issue.

Rajapaksa emerged victorious when the UN Security Council demanded that the LTTE surrender close on the heels of the government ordering the final assault. It was undoubtedly Sri Lanka’s greatest diplomatic victory since Independence. But this wouldn’t have been the case had the army failed to swiftly get the LTTE-held civilians into the safe zone.

Army Chief Lt. General Sarath Fonseka is assigned the task of finishing off the Tigers holed up in the civilian safe zone. The 58 Division commanded by Brigadier Shavindra Silva and Major General Kamal Gunarathne’s 53 Division received the orders to storm the zone last week. The 58 Division which launched its offensive from the north-western coast in September 2007 was the first to enter the safe zone and within 24 hours reached Puthumathalan on the north-eastern coast.

The 11 SLLI (Sri Lanka Light Infantry), 8 GR (Gajaba Regiment), 9 GW (Gemunu Watch), Special Forces and Commandos operating under the 58 Division paved the way for over 100,000 people to escape overland and over 5,000 escape in fibre glass dinghies since the launch of the operation. The 58 Division’s record in fighting its way coast to coast from west to east would be a highlight in the entire Eelam War.

The LTTE is now facing the 58 and 53 Divisions in its last ditch battle. What is left of the LTTE’s conventional fighting capability wouldn’t last long. Although the latest defeat would definitely increase pressure on the UNP and cause the usual talk of the need to change its leadership, this picture can change in the future.