All candidates contesting the forthcoming Local Government Election under the SLFP and UPFA banner will pledge to conduct a disciplined and an environmentally friendly polls campaign before President Maithripala Sirisena on Friday.
Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development Minister and UPFA General Secretary Mahinda Amaraweera told journalists in Colombo that all party candidates will gather at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium on Friday to make the pledge.
He said the President will advise party candidates to follow election rules and regulations to the letter while abiding by the party guidelines.
He said President Sirisena was very keen to ensure an environment friendly polls campaign.
Amaraweera also said, there will be a meeting of party leaders, whose political parties contest the forthcoming Local Government Election under the UPFA banner at the BMICH tomorrow (28).
“At the meeting all the parties will come to a common stance and common platform with a pledge for contesting the next election as a broad alliance and to maintain a peaceful and lawful election campaign,” he said.
“In line with the concept of the President to create a better political culture for the country, all parties contesting under the UPFA banner have already come to a conclusion to abide by the election rules and regulations whilst working for a better political culture. We had several rounds of preliminary decisions with the other parties,” Minister Amaraweera said.
He said UPFA candidates should not be contractors, or seeking various permits such as bus permits and approvals for filling station, liquor licences and sand mining etc.
“All these measures are taken to form a clean Local Government institute,”Amaraweera stressed.
Minister Amaraweera said the Sri Lanka Podujana Party (SLPP) is using the same colour of the SLFP for their political gains.
“We came to know that the discussions the SLPP had with the certain SLFP politicians, who intended to crossover, had ended with disputes. Then it is certain that no SLFPer will cross over by tomorrow,” he said.
“The SLPP’s nomination lists are filled with corrupt politicians, such as the former Chairman of the Walallavita Pradeshiya Sabha, who was allegedly caught red-handed while obtaining a bribe,” Minister Amaraweera said.
Public Enterprise Development State Minister Laksman Yapa Abeywardana said a considerable number of political kingpins will come forward to assist the SLFP and strengthen the hands of President Sirisena during the period starting from tomorrow to January 10. Asked him to reveal the names of the persons, going to crossover, he said the crossover is certain but he is not ready to mention the names at that moment. He said that the 22 political parties are contesting under the UPFA banner. The SLFP will directly contest for 123 Pradeshiya Sabhas under the ‘Hand’ symbol. Besides, the SLFP under the UPFA banner will contest for 207 Pradeshiya Sabhas under ‘Betel Leaf’ symbol.
Minister Abeywardana said all political parties are establishing disciplinary codes for their members and candidates as a result of the fruitful measures taken by President Sirisena to implement certain policy guidelines for the UPFA candidates.
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