JVP finalizes nomination lists

The JVP said yesterday it had finalized the North-Western and Central Provincial Councils nomination lists which would be handed over to the Elections Commissioner on December 30 or 31. JVP propaganda secretary and Parliamentarian Vijitha Herath told the Daily Mirror that the party had picked former provincial councillors Samansiri Fernando and Nimal Herath as the chief ministerial candidates to the Central and North-Western Provincial Councils.  He said the JVP would start the election campaign on January 1. Meanwhile, the main opposition UNP is reportedly still in the process of preparing its nomination lists. The party is yet to select its chief ministerial candidate to the North-Western Provincial Council with MPs Palitha Range Bandara and Sajith Premadasa turning down the request to contest the elections. Mr. Bandara said if he became the chief ministerial  candidate, he would be compelled to focus attention on the entire North-Western Province limiting his role in giving leadership to the Puttalam district people and its candidates. "As the district leader, I want to lead the party to victory in Puttalam. I want to focus my sole attention on it. So, I decided not to accept the party request," he said.  However, Mr. Premadasa said the party did not even include him in the nomination board and therefore queried how he could become eligible to be the chief ministerial candidate."I defeated President Mahinda Rajapaksa twice in Hambantota polling more votes than him at the general elections in 2000 and 2001.  I have to be grateful to those people. I want to be with them.   If I contest this election, I will have to leave them. At the same time, the party did not consider me when creating new posts. Based on all these matters, I declined to accept the party's request," he said. (KB) UPFA to complete lists tomorrow   The ruling UPFA coalition will finalize its nomination lists tomorrow for the upcoming provincial council elections and hand them to the Elections Commissioner on December 30, a government Minister said yesterday.   The Ceylon Workers Congress, the Upcountry People's Front (UPF) and the National Freedom Front will also field candidates under the UPFA's betel symbol at the elections. Minister P. Chandrasekaran's UPF will field three candidates for Nuwara-Eliya and one each in Puttalam and Kandy. Party member and Deputy Minister P. Radhakrishnan said they still remained undecided whether to field a candidate for the Matale district. "We will not field any candidate in the Kurunegala district," he said. The Elections' Department will accept nominations for the elections till December 31. (KB)

 

JVP finalizes nomination lists Daily Mirror - Colombo,Western,Sri Lanka "As the district leader, I want to lead the party to victory in Puttalam. I want to focus my sole attention on it. So, I decided not to accept the party ... See all stories on this topic