Who’s who at the PC polls:

Kith and kin of politicians who contested PC Election

by Jaliya Wijeyekoon

Jayalath Bandara Dissanayake	Chandana Yapa

Children or siblings of politicians have followed in the footsteps of their parents or relatives from the time the party system was introduced in the country. The Senanayakes were the first to do so from the United National Party followed by the Gunewardenas in the Lanka Sama Samaja Party (LSSP) and the Bandaranaikes in the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP).

Anuradha Lanka Jayaratne	J.C. Alawathuwala

They were considered political dynasties at that time and commanded respect from the public, irrespective of their political ideologies.

However, with the passage of time, this trend became increasingly popular and most politicians introduced their kith and kin into politics to serve the people after them.

The Provincial Council (PC) system was introduced in the country in 1987 by J.R. Jayewardene’s regime with the signing of the Indo-Lanka Peace Accord as a solution to the long-drawn Northern problem. The desired results were not achieved by the Northern PC then and it was dissolved by the Central Government after a short life-span.

However, the PCs became deeply rooted in the other provinces and their members worked cordially with the Central Government. It could be observed during the last two decades that a large number of Parliamentarians had started their political journey as members of Provincial councils. Many Senior Parliamentarians representing both main parties had introduced their children and kith and kin to politics through Provincial Councils. In other words, PCs have become a breading ground for future national politicians.

2013 PC elections

Ranjith Aluvihare	Johan Fernando

A number of children and kith and kin of sitting Parliamentarians and former Parliamentarians from both main parties contested the recently concluded Central and North Western Provincial Council elections and except for just three candidates, all the others emerged successful. Some of them made their certain victory felt among the public, weeks before the election day, through aggressive propaganda activities.

Huge majority

Prime Minister D.M. Jayaratne’s son Anuradha Lanka Jayaratne, a lawyer by profession, who had been Private Secretary to the Prime Minister for a number of years contested in the Central Province and emerged victorious grabbing the top spot with 107,644 votes and with a huge majority of preferential votes against the former Chief Minister Sarath Ekanayake.

Former UNP stalwart and the late Minister S.W. Alawathuwala’s son J.C. Alawathuwala led the Kurunegala district UNP list, scoring 33,980 votes and would be appointed the Opposition leader of the Wayamba PC.

Pramitha Bandara Tennakoon, the son of Lands Minister Janaka Bandara Tennakoon, secured the first place in the UPFA list in the Matale district, having polled 51,591 preferences.

Pramitha Bandara	Mayantha Dissanayake

UNP member Sanjeewa Kaviratne, the son of the late Minister of Cultural Affairs of J.R. Jayewardene’s regime, contested the PC elections from the Matale district for the third consecutive term and became victorious, polling 24,249 preferences.

Former UNP stalwart Gamini Dissanayake’s son Mayantha Dissanayake is yet another promising young politician who emerged third in the Kandy district UNP list, scoring 27,204 preferences.

Meanwhile, Thilina Bandara Tennakoon, the son of former SLFP Minister Yasaratne Tennakoon and a nephew of Minister Janaka Bandara Tennakoon emerged victorious from the Kandy district UPFA list, polling 45,027 votes and securing the third place.

Higher Education Minister S.B. Dissanayake’s brother Jayalath Bandara Dissanayake achieved the second place in the UNP list in the Nuwara Eliya district, scoring 16,556 preferential votes.

Minister of Co-operatives and Internal Trade Johnston Fernando’s son Johan Fernando launched an aggressive and rigorous campaign and obtained 134,423 preferential votes and was placed second in the UPFA list in the Kurunegala district.

Chinthana Ekanayake	Sanjeewa Kaviratne

Ranjith Aluvihare, the son of former UNP stalwart of the Matale district Alick Aluvihare, contested the Central Province elections under the UNP banner and became first in the UNP list in Matale with 29,545 preferential votes.

Kurunegala district Senior Parliamentarian and UNP Chairman Gamini Jayawickrema Perera’s son Asanka Perera is yet another young candidate who followed in the footsteps of his father.

He was elected to the WPC from the Kurunegala district, under the UNP banner, scoring 15,658 preferential votes.

Minister of Petroleum Industries Anua Priyadharshana Yapa’s brother Chandana Yapa contested under the UPFA for the Kurunegala district for the first time and polled 45,901 votes, securing the sixth place in the UPFA list.

Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage’s cousin Aluthgamage Weerasinghe won in the Kandy district, polling 23,652 votes representing the UPFA.

Deputy Minister of Transport Rohana Dissanayake’s brother Parakrama Dissanayake contested under the UPFA from the Matale district and scored 24,686 preferential votes and was placed third in the district list.

Manjula Dissanayake	Piyumal Herath

Former Agricultural Minister Wijeratne Banda’s son-in-Law Rohana Bandaranayake contested the PC polls from the Matale district and scored 14,415 preferential votes and placed third in the UNP list.

Higher Education Deputy Minister Nandimithra Ekanayake’s son, Chinthaka Ekanayake contested for the Central Province from the Matale district and secured the sixth place in the UPFA list, polling 20,052 votes.

Indigenous Medicine Minister Salinda Dissanayake’s wife Manjula Dissanayake contested for the first time from the Kurunegala district and was placed ninth in the UPFA list, scoring 37,937 votes.

Asanka Perera

Former Minister D.M. Dassanayake’s wife was in the fray from the Puttalam district and managed to retain her seat for the second consecutive term.

SLFP stalwart Minister Jayaratne Herath’s son Piumal Herath contested the WPC under the UPFA and safely retained his seat, scoring 44,038 preferential votes.

The three unsuccessful candidates who are close relatives of sitting Parliamentarians are Saliya Bandara Dissanayake, Minister S.B. Dissanayake’s brother, Ananda Aluthgamage, Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage’s brother and A.R.M. Hamjad, Deputy Minister Abdul Carder’s son.

Except for Dayasiri Jayasekera who made a revolutionary change in the PC political history, all other former UNP PC members who crossed over to the UPFA and contested this time, had not been able to retain their seats.

An other notable factor is that none of the NFF or JHU members who contested under the UPFA banner secured victory at the 2013 PC polls. A total of 35 sitting members from all parties were defeated and their seats taken over by new candidates who contested for the first time at this poll. Another notable occurrence in the Matale district is that all three candidates who were elected from the district under the UNP are sons of former UNP stalwarts in the district.

A notable defeat suffered by the UNP in the Kandy district is the Chairperson of the Women’s league (Lak Vanitha) of the party, Shanthini Kongahage who represented the Council previously being unsuccessful in retaining her seat at 2013 election.