|
Mano Ganeshan disillusioned:
DPF campaign to block Tamil support for UNP
by Shanika SRIYANANDA
The Democratic People’s Front (DPF), which was denied a National List
slot by the UNP led alliance - UNF, said that they have commenced a
campaign against the UNP to prevent Tamils voting for the UNP, which has
overlooked the minority representation in the new Parliament.
Disappointed over the UNF’s decision, the disillusioned DPF leader
Mano Ganeshan told the Sunday Observer that his party would not work
with the UNP as long as the ‘five member gang’ Pancha-Kalli led by the
Opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe was in the party.
He accused the Pancha Kalli members including Wickremesinghe, Karu
Jayasooriya, Tissa Attanayake, Ravi Karunanayake and Malik
Samarawickrama, for master-minding the cut in DPF slots in the National
List. “Ranil should be held responsible for this blunder”, Ganeshan
said.
Ganeshan, who received a telephone call from President Mahinda
Rajapaksa, said that his party was grateful to the President for
expressing concern and encouraging the party to be courageous though the
party was denied a single slot in the UNF National List.
“The President telephoned me and expressed concern about the
situation. He said that he was surprised to hear that our party which
was the main ally that helped the UNP in the Opposition political
campaign at the presidential and parliamentary polls was ill-treated”,
he said.
According to Ganeshan, President Rajapaksa had asked him not to be
discouraged and had recounted a similar situation that he under went
earlier.
The DPF leader said the discussion was friendly and did not involve
politics. Ganeshan said that the President had not yet invited the DPF
to join the Government but if there was an invitation they would
consider it.
“I don’t think that the Government needs our support as the
Government is strong and stable”, he said. He blamed the Pancha Kalli
for ruining the grand old UNP by discarding the loyal allies and
steadfast minority political parties.
Ganeshan said that all political parties and Tamils in the country
were shocked to hear that the DPF has been ill treated. |
