UPFA launches polls campaign today

by Dasun Edirisinghe and Maheesha Mudugamuwa

The UPFA will launch its polls propaganda campaign in three Provinces – Sabaragamuwa, North-Central and Eastern – today.

SLFP General Secretary Minister Maithreepala Sirisena told a media conference, at the Mahaweli Centre, that the UPFA campaign would be launched at the grassroots level of all districts in the three provinces.

He said that the UPFA had kept open the posts of the Chief Ministers.

"Topping the preferential votes list is not a qualification to become the Chief Minister," Sirisena said.

He said the Chief Ministers of the relevant provinces would be decided by the party leadership after the election results were announced.

The minister said that the UPFA had fielded candidates from the SLFP, TMVP, National Unity Alliance, Rishad Bathiudeen’s party, Athaulla’s group, LSSP and the CP.

Responding to a query, Minister Sirisena said that SLMC leader Rauff Hakeem, a government minister had decided that his SLMC would contest the election to the Eastern Provincial Council on its own in order to accommodate more Muslim candidates.

"There were a number of Muslim candidates awaiting to contest the Eastern Provincial Council, but our alliance found it difficult to accommodate all of them."