UPFA nominations – Minister sets the record straight

by Uditha KUMARASINGHE

UPFA General Secretary and Petroleum Industries Minister Susil Premajayantha said except on three occasions, the UPFA has not given nominations for new family members or close relatives of politicians to contest the forthcoming Provincial Council (PC) elections in the North Central, Sabaragamuwa and Eastern Provinces.

There were two occasions – one in Kegalle and the other in Trincomalee where the UPFA had decided to give nominations to three candidates - relatives of politicians following their appeals. Apart from these all others were former Provincial Council members, the Minister told the Sunday Observer

The Minister said the UPFA never said that it would not give nominations to close relatives of politicians. This means that the relatives of politicians are not allowed to contest the forthcoming PC polls. But some newspapers had published a list of politicians’ relatives including the names of former Provincial Councillors.

On these three occasions, SLFP politicians had in writing said that they would not continue in active politics at the next election.

The UPFA had declined nominations for many candidates due to their relationship with politicians. However, the newspapers did not highlight it. The UPFA has also decided not to give nominations to those politicians who had committed crimes or child abuse. The party has decided to remove them from the UPFA and the positions that they now hold.

The UPFA has already sent letters to two chairmen and one Deputy Chairman of Pradeshiya Sabhas and an Urban Council member to remove them from their posts and party membership as they had been produced before Court as suspects in crime and child abuse cases. The UPFA has informed Returning Officers and the Commissioner of Elections to remove them from their posts, the Minister said.