CWC, WLF oozing with confidence

by P. Krishnaswamy

Leaders of plantation political parties/trade unions who are contesting the April 8 General Election in an alliance with the UPFA are confident that the trend now is in their favour and an overwhelming mandate was apparent.

The Ceylon Workers’ Congress (CWC) led by Minister Arumugam Thondaman, the Workers’ Liberation Front (WLF) led by former parliamentarian S. Arulsamy and trade unions led by Deputy Ministers V. Puthirasigamoney and Suresh Vadivel are currently engaged in hectic propaganda meetings and campaigns.

CWC President and Deputy Minister Muthu Sivalingam told the Sunday Observer that their election rallies held in the plantation towns were attended by thousands of plantation workers.

Those among the plantation community who voted for the opposition UNA at the January 26 Presidential poll seem to have realised the blunder that they made in voting for Sarath Fonseka at the Presidential election, deceived by his false and unrealistic election promises.

They are now thinking in terms of the many short-term and long-term development programs for their socio-economic uplift that have been implemented under the ‘Mahinda Chintana’ during the past four years. They also know that these programs will continue to be implemented during the next seven-year second term of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Sivalingam said.

Deputy Minister Jegatheeswaran and he were on the UPFA National List to accommodate the younger generation, he said. Party leader Arumugam Thondaman and other frontliners are contesting in Nuwara Eliya and the Uva electoral districts on the UPFA ticket. The CWC is confident that they will receive the overwhelming support of the plantation people similar to the many previous elections, the Deputy Minister said.

CWC nominee T. V. Chennan who is contesting in Badulla said that he believes that the UNP’s present five member parliamentary representation in Badulla will be reduced to two or three at the April 8 polls and the UPFA will get not less than five seats. The plantation workers have realised that all promises given on behalf of Sarath Fonseka at the last Presidential poll were false, he said.

Deputy Minister V. Puththirasigamoney who is contesting on the UPFA ticket in Nuwara Eliya said that President Rajapaksa’s vision is to build a new society, transcending communal and class barriers, by raising the living standard of the long neglected plantation community and merging them in the national mainstream.

The President has introduced many development programs to achieve this objective. Providing all basic infrastructure, decent houses instead of line-room shelters and improved educational and health facilities are part of the programs. More such programs are in the pipeline. Human resources in the plantation sector can be utilised in a better manner for national prosperity, he said.

The plantation people have realised that for all these development programs to continue, they should be with the Government and strengthen the hands of the President who has been elected for a second term of seven years.

The UPFA will receive an overwhelming mandate in the plantation areas at the upcoming General Election, he said.WLF leader and former parliamentarian S.Arulsamy who is contesting in Nuwara Eliya on the UPFA ticket also expressed similar views.

He said that the opposition UNP has ‘imported’ businessmen and media personnel from Colombo, who have nothing in common with the people up-country side lining their own veterans who would now work against the party. This capitalistic tendency of the UNP will also contribute to the overwhelming victory of the UPFA, he said.