With `new stars’ entering the fray

Gampaha, Hambantota vie with Colombo for public focus

It is quite evident that the fiercest battle in the upcoming April 8 general election is being fought in the Colombo District. It is also patently obvious that the UNP is fielding its strongest team in Colombo. Pitted against them is an equally formidable team from the UPFA who are as strong as their counterparts in the running in Hambantota and Gampaha.
The UPFA group in Colombo is being led by Minister Susil Premajayantha. Among the stalwarts on the Colombo District UPFA list are A.H.M.Fowzie, Wimal Weerawansa, Pathali Champika Ranawaka, Dinesh Gunawardena, Milinda Moragoda, Rohitha Bogollagama, Thilanga Sumithipala, Duminda Silva and Sudharman Radaliyagoda. Former opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe is seeking to enter parliament from the Colombo district at this election as well. Among the other UNP frontliners entering the fray from the Colombo district are Ravi Karunanayake, Rosy Senanayake, Mohamed Maharoof, Wijedasa Rajapaksha, Shiral Laktillake, Jayantha de Silva, Mohan Lal Grero, and Sujeewa Senasinghe.
General Sarath Fonseka, who contested the January 26 presidential election as the common opposition candidate, is also in the fray in the Colombo District under the `Trophy’ symbol of the Democratic National Alliance (DNA). The name of a well known UNP politician too appears on the DNA’s Colombo District list. He is veteran tele-drama actor Jayantha Ketagoda. People, no doubt, are looking forward with much interest to the unfolding of the new political relationship between Ranil Wickremesinghe and General Fonseka given the changed circumstances, a far cry from the days when they were seen together on the same stage.

Fonseka claims 4m. votes
General Fonseka had reportedly told UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe before filing his nominations for the general election that it was he who mustered 4.1 million votes at the presidential election and therefore, it was his right to be the leader of the joint opposition alliance and its prime ministerial candidate. However, the UNP leader had rejected the claim made by the General. Following the outcome of this disagreement, General Fonseka and his DNA are in the fight under the `Trophy’ symbol and the Ranil Wickremesinghe-led UNP is in the fray under the `Elephant’ symbol as a rival party.
Ranil Wickremesinghe, now in the running in the Colombo District, has to take up the gauntlet thrown down by General Fonseka.

Anoma heads DNA campaign
Now that General Fonseka is out of action being in the custody of Army Police, his wife Anoma Fonseka is leading the DNA election campaign supported by the JVP and other constituents of the alliance. Former Chief Justice Sarath N. Silva too is extending his support to the DNA campaign. The DNA appears to be determined to make a stronger showing in Colombo than elsewhere.
The members and the supporters of the UNP at the grass roots level seem to be happy that the party has decided to contest under the `Elephant’ symbol. UNP frontliners like Sajith Premadasa expressed this sentiment at public rallies.
According to informed UNP sources, the move to offer the deputy leadership of the UNF to General Fonseka had sent at least one young stalwart of the UNP into jitters. This young `strongman’, who is nursing the ambition to succeed Ranil as the party leader, had naturally looked on General Fonseka as an upstart who could be a formidable obstacle to his political ambition. The young stalwart could breathe a sigh of relief when General Fonseka, who had not learnt to `bide his time’ or to be patient, rejected the UNF deputy leadership offer.

A Rajapaksa provides leadership
When looking for noteworthy features of this general election, one’s attention would immediately turn to the Gampaha District. The UPFA group in the running in the Gampaha District has got a strong leadership in President’s senior advisor Basil Rajapaksa. This means the leadership of the SLFP bastion of the Bandaranaikes has gone to a Rajapaksa of Medamulana at this election. The UPFA has entered the contest in Gampaha with unprecedented confidence. The UNP is trying only to save face in the Gampaha District which President Mahinda Rajapaksa won by a thumping majority of 284,000 votes! The most outstanding of the UNP contestants in Gampaha is young Ruwan Wijewardena, a new face in Parliamentary politics. Ruwan, who has entered politics with the claim to an illustrious political heritage and background, has already won the attention of the UNP supporters in the Gampaha District.
Hambantota too has come under the spotlight at this election. The reason is that the President’s eldest son Namal is making his political debut in this district at this election. The style of Namal’s electioneering is a departure from the traditional ways. He has set more stores by shramadana campaigns, pinkamas and kiribath-danselas than by propaganda rallies and cutouts.

`Super stars’
People are also looking forward to the advent of the `super stars’ to the campaign trail. The election campaign by `Master - blaster’ Sanath Jayasuriya, eagerly looked to by people, will certainly create a sensation. Though the electioneering has already got underway, Jayasuriya is still in the thick of the inter-provincial 20 overs- cricket tournament. He will shortly leave for India to play in the Premier League Cricket series. This means even when the electioneering is in full swing, Jayasuriya will still be wielding his willow in India. “I have much faith in the people in Matara,” says the master-blaster.
Sprint Queen Susanthika Jayasinghe is in the running in the Kegalle District. People are eagerly waiting for her appearance in the campaign trail.

National Lists
Political parties in the running at this election handed their national lists to the Elections Commissioner last Friday. A highlight of the UPFA national list is that most of the candidates fielded are those representing the constituent parties. The names of several senior SLFP parliamentarians too appear on this list. D.M. Jayaratne, Prof. G. L.Peiris and Prof. Wiswa Warnapala are among them. Dulles Alahapperuma, who has been called upon to shoulder a heavy responsibility as an UPFA campaign manager, too has been offered a slot on the UPFA national list. Among others who are expected to enter parliament from the UPFA national list are veteran film actress Malini Fonseka, well known public commentator J.R.P. Suriyapperuma, former Speaker W.J.M.Lokubandara and Vinayagamurthy Muralidaran (Karuna Amman).
A special feature of the UNP national list is that the majority of its candidates are persons representing minority communities. Among the politicians accommodated are Tissa Attanayake, Joseph Michael Perera, K.N.Choksy, Rukman Senanayake and Tilak Marapana. The name of well known economist Dr. Harsha de Silva is also there.

Part ways
The most notable candidate fielded on the National List of the DNA led by General Sarath Fonseka is businessman Tiran Alles. A close associate of Mangala Samaraweera, Tiran Alles was always seen together with Mangala at all political events a few weeks ago. However, at this election Tiran is fielded on the National List of the DNA when Mangala is fielded on the UNP’s Matara District list. Among others accommodated on the DNA national List are Anura Kumara Dissanayake, Sanjeewa Ranatunga, Prof. S.B. Hettiarachchi, Prof. Kapila Chandana Perera and film actress Suwineetha Weerasinghe.
The UNP is facing the challenge of preventing members from `pole vaulting’ after being elected on the party ticket. Some party stalwarts had advised the leader to obtain undated letters of resignation taking a cue from what his uncle the late President Jayewardene did. Some UNP candidates have already submitted such letters to the party leader, according to informed sources. It is still not known whether the history will repeat itself.
With the `manapa-pore’ factor entering the campaign equation following preference numbers being assigned, the political atmosphere is expected to heat up beginning next week.