General Secretary of the UPFA, Minister Susil Premajayanth yesterday said that the people of the Western Province by granting a fresh mandate for the ruling coalition had clearly endorsed the country’s war to eradicate terrorism and usher in peace and development.

The people had placed their faith in President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s leadership, he said. The UPFA together with the TMVP, had obtained 51% of the votes in the East and received 65% of votes in the WPC.

"In Kaduwela, we obtained 66,362 votes against the UNP’s 24,219 and similarly won with ease in Horana, Mahara and Minuwangoda electorates."

He said when compared with the UPFA’s vote at the last WPC poll in July 2004, there had been an overall increase of 10%.

Responding to our queries, he said that the UPFA had protested and complained to Commissioner of Elections Dayananda Dissanayake over UNP MP Ravi Karunanayake’s entry into the counting Centre at D. S. Senanayake College and interfering with the counting process.

Subsequently, the General Secretary of the UNP Tissa Attanayake, too, had joined Karunanayake, he said.

He emphasised that a comprehensive investigation should be held to ascertain why the election staff and police had allowed them to interfere with the counting process.

Premjayanth said that UNP leaders were making a ridiculous attempt to blame their latest defeat on the government by accusing the UPFA of malpractices.