UPFA Victory Marred by Scuffle for Preferential Vote
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The IslandHome News Page Three Monday 19th April, 2010 3 The re-poll in Nawalapitiya is the first such exercise ordered trouble to Dr. Sarath Amunugama, who powers that be, was expected to go ahead had not been any clashes among UPFA by the Election Secretariat due to intra-party disputes leading according to the number of preferential with his agenda regardless of opposi- candidates in Colombo, some of the los- to the disruption of a national election. The battle for prefer- votes obtained so far, was holding on the tion. Tennakoon has gone to the extent ers claimed that there were serious mal- ential votes in many districts caused animosity among former seventh place among UPFA candidates, of issuing press releases through his practices at the main counting centre in closely followed by Faizer Mustapha. former ministry targeting his opponent. Colombo, a charge denied by former UPFA ministers, who publicly denounced each other as they The UPFA expects seven out of 12 Kalutara district, too, is in turmoil minister Premjayantha. A section of the jostled for commanding positions. seats from Kandy. Sources said with former Nations Building Minister, press has alleged that Premjayantha Aluthgamage’s camp was campaigning Rohitha Abeygunawardene taking on may have benefited from malpractices. aggressively causing anxiety among former ministers, Kumara Welgama and Responding to criticism, Premjayantha BY SHAMINDRA FERDINANDO mandos, to prevent rivals. Although both Rambukwella and Dr. Rajitha Senaratne. Both Welgama told a recent media conference that The campaign for the Nawalapitiya clashes among UPFA Dissanayake were now certain of being and Senaratne hit back hard at their col- there had not been any irregularity at re-poll, which is scheduled for tomorrow candidates. “Don’t for- among the winners, Dr. Amunugama league, after his supporters stormed the counting centre. Turning towards (April 20), has sharply divided the rul- get that the Opposition and Faizer may face a tough contest, Maggona, Kapugoda, where villages former ministers, Dinesh Gunawardene ing coalition, with several leading UPFA is not in any way and Champika Ranawaka, who were at candidates targeting former non-cabinet involved in this,” he the head table, an angry Premjayantha Power Minister, Mahindananda said. The UNP official emphasized that the counting of prefer- Aluthgamage, widely accused of caus- pointed out that sup- ential votes took place in an orderly ing mayhem at a section of the polling porters of another manner. booths in his home base, Nawalapitiya, UPFA candidate had UPFA victory Other sources said the son of a for- at the April 8 general election. caused mayhem at a mer minister, too, had been seen at the SB Denying the allegations, polling booth in the counting centre, though he had Aluthgamage alleged that the UNP, JVP, Trincomalee polling absolutely no right to be there. Sources and those who had switched their alle- division, which alleged that some candidates had manip- giance to the SLFP from the UNP, prompted the marred by ulated the system to their advantage. deceived Elections Commissioner Elections Secretariat Sources said the counting process Dayananda Dissanayake. He said that to order a re-poll, also should be transparent and candidates there was absolutely no need for a re- on April 20. He said should not be allowed to flex their mus- poll at Nawalapitiya, a claim rejected by President Rajapaksa, cles at the counting centre. an irate S.B. Dissanayake, who called a UPFA General scuffle for The UNP, too, experienced trouble press conference at Gelioya, Peradeniya, Secretary Susil over the preferential vote, which ulti- where he publicly denounced Premjayantha, and mately led to an attack on newly-elected Aluthgamage. Dissanayake went on to SLFP General Puttalam district MP Palitha Range say that the UPFA could win as many as Mahindananda Secretary Maithripala Bandara. In Matara, former Southern 143 or 144 seats at the election, but Sirisena, in the run-up preferential Provincial Council Opposition Leader focused on the simmering dispute with to the poll, had warned Buddhika Pathirana survived an organ- the Nawalapitiya chief SLFP organizer. that trouble-makers ized campaign to undermine him and Political sources said that since the would not receive min- deprive him of the top spot among suc- Elections Secretariat called a re-poll at isterial portfolios. cessful candidates in the Matara dis- Nawalapitiya, UPFA candidates stepped When The Island vote trict. up verbal attacks on their colleagues, raised this issue with In Gampaha, UNP veterans Karu leaving the UNP-led United National Minister Premjayantha Jayasuriya, John Amaratunga and Dr. Front and the JVP-led Democratic at a recent media brief- Jayalath Jayawardena lost to newcom- National Alliance to campaign relatively ing at the Mahaweli sources said. were beaten up for not backing him at ers Ruwan Wijewardena and Upeksha free of violence, though several vehicles centre, Minister Had the SLFP leadership intervened the general election. Sources said Swarnamali, who had not even played a carrying supporters of Western People’s Amunugama Premjayantha declined to stop some candidates from calling Welgama and Senaratne would continue main role in a movie, though being Front leader, Mano Ganeshan, came to comment on discipli- media briefings, the party could have at to push for disciplinary action against called a mega star. Swarnamali, who under attack in Nawalapitiya last nary action as it could least controlled the situation, sources Abeygunawardena, who accused his supported defeated presidential election Friday (April 16) have an effect on candi- said. A senior party official privately erstwhile associates of leading an attack candidate, Gen. (retd) Sarath Fonseka at Although the SLFP-led ruling coali- dates allegedly acknowledged that former ministers on his residence. Responding to the January 26 poll, switched her alle- tion achieved an extraordinary victory involved in incidents at had acted on their own, though they Abeygunawardene’a claim, Dr. giance to the UNP at the parliamentary at the April 8 general election, the battle Kumburupiddy, knew the party opposed public criticism Senaratne told Sirasa that the accuser election. Gampaha district UNP leader for the preferential vote, among heavy- Trincomalee and of members. He said a section of the was a ‘big liar’. veteran politician Sarathchandra weights in several districts, has caused Nawalapitiya. privately owned media, particularly tele- Anuradhapura, too, experienced poll Rajakaruna, failed in his re-election bid, irreparable damage. The districts SLFP sources said vision stations, had aggravated the situ- violence as SLFP heavyweights fought while the JVP/DNA had to be satisfied severely affected by clashes among lead- the intra-party clashes ation. for preferential votes. The police strug- with one elected representative, Vijitha ing candidates, mostly SLFPers and among party seniors The Campaign for Free and Fair gled to cope with the situation due to Herath. UNP dissidents, who took SLFP mem- Keheliya would definitely divide Election has urged voters in heavy political pressure on law enforce- At the early stage of the UPFA cam- bership in the run-up to the parliamen- members of the Nawalapitiya to reject those who spear- ment authorities to turn a blind eye to paign, the SLFP targeted some tary election, were Anuradhapura, Provincial Councils headed violence in the run-up to the UPFA gangs. Sources said that in the National Freedom Front candidates, Matale, Kalutara, Mahanuwara and and Local Government April 8 poll, the day of the election, and absence of an expected challenge from though they were let alone once SLFP Ratnapura. Authorities. now in the run-up to the re-poll. CaFFE the Opposition, UPFA candidates went heavyweights felt that the NFF did not Party sources acknowledged that the The Election spokesman, Keerthi Tennakoon, alleged after their colleagues. Had there been an pose a threat. intra-party clashes were the worst ever Secretariat delayed that a group of Pradeshiya Sabha mem- Opposition threat, the situation would since the introduction of the propor- final results of both bers had been involved in a violent cam- have been different, sources said. tional representation by JRJ, way back Trincomalee and paign. He emphasized that the deploy- Former ministers, John Seneviratne in 1978. Sources said the UPFA could Mahanuwara districts ment of a heavy security contingent had and Pavitra Wanniarachchi, accused have fared even better if candidates pending re-polling at not prevented an attack on a convoy car- each other of attacks in the run-up to avoided damaging fights among various one and 34 polling rying opposition activists last Friday. the election, prompting President district groups. Rohitha booths, respectively. In Matale, a bruising battle between Rajapaksa to publicly refer to their dis- Sources said the worst-affected was Sources said district leader former minister, Janaka pute at a propaganda rally held in sup- the Mahanurawa electoral district, Aluthgamage was like- Bandara Tennakoon, and a newcomer to port of UPFA candidates contesting where Aluthgamage took on Keheliya ly to receive the lion’s politics, Lakshman Wasantha Perera, is from Ratnapura. Rambukwella, S. B. Dissanayake and Dr. share of the preferen- causing concern among the SLFPers. Although the Digamadulla elec- Sarath Amunugama, in his quest for the tial vote in Perera polled 65,077 preferential votes torate has been relatively peaceful, preferential vote. Nawalapitiya despite against Tennakoon’s 47,133 at the gener- there were some inci- A UNP spokesman told The Island being criticized by his al election, though the latter wielded dents involving sup- that the government should be ashamed former ministerial col- immense political clout in Matale. porters of UPFA can- that it had to deploy a large security leagues. Sources said Sources told The Island that Perera, an didates. contingent, including elite police com- that this could cause influential businessman close to the Although there Janaka Bambara Walalla clinches Remy Award BY THUSHARI KALUBOWILA according to organizers.