Provincial Council politics -Legacy or heritage?

By Jaliya Wijeyekoon

The Provincial Council (PC) system was introduced under the 13th Amendment to the Constitution in 1987 during former President J.R. Jayewardene's regime with the signing of the Indo-Lanka Peace Accord as a solution to the long drawn problem of the Northern and Eastern people of the country.

Anuradha Lanka Jayaratne	Mayantha Dissanayake

However, the desired results were not achieved by the first North-East PC which had only a short life span and functioned under the leadership of Vardarajah Perumal who later went against the central government and finally the Council had to be dissolved.

The Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) rejected the first PC system when it was introduced, and refrained from contesting the first PC elections in 1987.

The PC system has now taken firm root in all provinces except the North and all main political parties are interested in securing power in the PCs.

Provincial Councils are now considered to be the breeding ground for national politicians and a large number of parliamentarians have entered Parliament having launched their political career as provincial councillors.

It is apparent that a large number of siblings or close relatives of former and sitting parliamentarians of the UPFA and UNP vie for the Central and North Western Provincial Council elections scheduled to be held on September 21.

Chandana Yapa	Johan Fernando

There are 56 seats in the Central Provincial Council (CPC) and 50 seats in the North Western Provincial Council (NWPC).

In the Central Province almost 50 percent of the candidates are the offsprings, siblings or close relatives of the area politicians, present and past.

The CPC family links

Prime Minister D.M. Jayaratne's son, Anuradha Lanka Jayaratne is contesting the CPC from the Kandy district for the first time and is among the front runners in the candidates' list. Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage's brother-in-law Weerasinghe and his cousin Ananda Aluthgamage are also vying for the CPC.

Higher Education Minister S.B. Dissanayake's two brothers, Saliya Bandara Dissanayake and Jayalath Bandara Dissanayake are in the fray representing the UPFA and the UNP respectively, for the Kandy district.

Ranjith Aluvihare	Manjula Dissanayake

Former CPC member and W.G. Ranasinghe's son, Ambagamuwa Pradeshiya Sabha Vice Chairman, Rukshan Ranasinghe is contesting under the UPFA banner representing the Nuwara Eliya district.

Land and Lands Development Minister Janaka Bandara Tennakoon's son Pramitha Tennakoon is leading the Matale district UPFA group for the second consecutive term.

Former CPC Minister Yasaratne Tennakoon's son Thilina Bandara Tennakoon, and nephew of Minister Janaka Tennakoon, is representing the Matale district under the UPFA banner.

Deputy Environment Minister Abdul Cader's son A.R.M. Hamjaad is contesting from the Kandy district under the betel symbol.

Deputy Minister of Transport Rohana Dissanayake's brother Parakrama Dissanayake is another candidate contesting the second successive term representing the Matale district under the UPFA.

Former UNP stalwart in the province, Alick Aluvihare's son Ranjith Aluvihare is contesting under the UNP banner.

Piyumal Herath	Pramitha Bandara

Former Agricultural Minister who represented the Laggala electorate, the late Wijeyaratne Banda's nephew and cousin of Sanjeewa Kaviratne, Rohana Bandaranayake is contesting from the Matale district under the UNP.

Higher Education Deputy Minister Nandimithra Ekanayake's son Chinthana Ekanayake is in the fray under the UPFA from the Matale district.

Sanjeewa Kaviratne, a Member of Parliament for a short period and whose father P.B. Kaviratne was a senior Minister during yesteryear is a front runner in the UNP election campaign in the Matale district.

Former CPC Chairman Sarath Kongahage's wife Shanthini Kongahage is in the election fray from the Kandy district representing the UNP for the second consecutive term.

Former CPC Opposition Leader Lal Wijeyenayake's brother Dr. Jagath Wijeyenayake is contesting under the UPFA banner from Kandy district.

Thilina Bandara	Shanthini Kongahage

Former UNP stalwart Gamini Dissanayake's son Mayantha Dissanayake is actively involved in the election campaign as a leading candidate in the UNP list in the Kandy district.

Kandy district parliamentarian Eric Weerawardene's father, Ediriweera Weerawardene, also a former Deputy Minister is contesting from the Kandy district under the UPFA. The late parliamentarian Wilson Kuruppuarachchi's son Madusanka Kuruppuarachchi, a young candidate, is contesting from the Kandy district.

Teldeniya Pradeshiya Sabha Chairperson Sunethra Gamage Jayaratne's husband M.G. Jayaratne is among the candidates from the Kandy district representing the UPFA for the second consecutive term.

Former Chief Minister of CPC Sarath Ekanayake is heading the UPFA list and is the brother of Higher Education Deputy Minister Nandimithra Ekanayake.

NWPC family links

Saliya Bandara Dissanayake	Jayalath Bandara Dissanayake

Minister of Botanical Gardens and Common Recreation Jayaratne Herath is fielding his son Piyumal Herath for the second consecutive term for the Wayamba Provincial Council representing the Kurunegala district under the UPFA.

Cooperatives and Internal Trade Minister Jonston Fernando's son Johan Fernando has already made his mark among the front runners in the UPFA list in the Kurunegala district.

Minister of Indigenous Medicine Salinda Dissanayake's wife Manjula Dissanayake is a prominent candidate contesting under the UPFA banner.

Minister of Petroleum Industries Anura Priyadarshana Yapa's brother Chandana Yapa is another prominent candidate contesting the NWPC elections for the second time.

Manjula Bandara	Chinthana Ekanayake

The late Minister D.M. Dassanayake's wife Indrani Dassanayake is vying for her seat in the WPC once again representing the UPFA.

Former parliamentarian Protus Tissera's son Jude Sumal Tissera is actively involved in the election campaign to retain his seat.

Former Municipal Member of Kuliyapitiya Maheepala Herath's son Samanpriya Herath is attempting to retain his slot in the forthcoming elections.

Asanka Perera

Former Deputy Minister, the late S.W. Alawathuwala's son J.C. Alawathuwala has already made his mark in provincial politics and launched his election campaign to consolidate his position in the district representing the UNP.

Former Minister Amara Piyaseelee Ratnayake's son Manjula Bandara is also a young politician contesting under the green banner.

The UNP Chairman and Kurunegala District Senior Parliamentarian Gamini Jayawickrema Perera's son Asanka Perera , a Pannala Pradeshiya Sabha member is vying for a slot under the green banner.

There are a few more candidates distantly related to sitting politicians in the two main parties who are contesting the two Provincial Council Elections.