The UNP was on a come back trail and its performance at future elections would surprise many, Opposition leader of the Western Provincial Council Rosie Senanayake said yesterday.

Addressing a news conference in Colombo, she said that the sceptics would not be able to comprehend the chances of the UNP, but their vote bank was on the increase once again.

"The economy is in shambles and the cost of living has gone beyond the reach of the common man. Generations to come have been placed in debt, due to the imprudent economic policies followed by the Mahinda Rajapaksa government," Senanayake said.

"The UNP has the ability to develop the economy and the people are once again turning towards us. It would be a matter of time before we are back in the saddle."

Asked why the masses had not voted the UNP into power at recent elections, despite a proven track record on economic management, she said that the people had been deceived by false propaganda carried on by the State media.

"The votes cast in favour of the government, were actually an act of gratitude for the security forces defeating the LTTE," she said.

Told that the UNP, with its vast resources had failed to counter the State media’s "false propaganda", Senanayake claimed there was not much they could do, while being in the Opposition and added that the media also has to take the blame.

"Contrary to claims by the Rajapaksa government, the UNP too can take credit for victories over the LTTE, with a much smaller army", she said. "It was the Ranil Wickremesinghe administration that began the process of modernizing the security forces."