Western and Southern PC elections:
Politicians’ children, actresses in the fray
By Ranil Wijayapala
As the nominations dates for the forthcoming elections for the
Western and Southern Provincial Councils - the most political sensitive
provinces in the country - draw closer, major political parties are now
engaged in a most difficult task of preparing the nominations lists to
be filed before the Elections Department from January 31 to February 6.

Geetha Kumarasinghe |
 |
Anarkali
Akarsha |

Hirunika Premachandra |

Ruwanthi Mangala |

Judith White |

Gayesha Perera |
 |
Nadeesha
Hemamali |
According to Elections Department sources 40, 24,614 voters from the
Western Province 18, 73,804 voters from the Southern Province have
qualified to vote on the elections date to elect 104 PC Members to the
Western Provincial Council and 57 PC Members to the Southern Provincial
Council. Altogether 58,98,418 voters in the Western and Southern
provinces are eligible to cast their votes at the forthcoming elections
according to the 2013 electoral list certified by the elections
commissioner on January 1, 2014.
When the Elections Department preparing for elections, the major
political parties bracing for the elections are facing the difficulty in
finalising the nominations list as there is growing demand to contest
the PC elections from popular actors and actresses. The media gave much
focus to the appearance of popular actresses Gayesha Perera, Ruwanthi
Mangala and female vocalist Judith White at the SLFP nomination board at
the SLFP headquarters in Colombo last Monday.
 |
Ranjan Ramanayake |
If their nominations are accepted they will enter the fray with their
fellow actress turned politicians Geetha Kumarasinghe who plays a
leading role in Galle District as the SLFP organiser of the Bentara
Elpitiya electorate and former Provincial Councilor actress Anarkali
Akarsha who is tipped to contest the Southern Provincial Council
election from the Matara district. With the entry of another actress
Nadeesha Hemamali from the UNP ticket to the Galle district the campaign
for the Southern Provincial Council is tipped to be dominated by famous
figures.
If Ratnapura district MP Ranjan Ramanayake who has already expressed
his willingness to contest the Western Provincial Council election as
the Chief Ministerial candidate is endorsed by the leadership council
and the nomination board that will add much glitter and glamour to the
UNP political stage too in the Western province.
Therefore, it appears that the Western and Southern Provincial
Council elections which were dominated by the war heroes contesting the
election in 2009 with the victory achieved against decades long
terrorism, is set to be taken over by popular faces who attract people
into their political campaign.
However, party sources from the SLFP have indicated that though many
popular faces sought nominations to contest the elections, priority will
be given considering political experience and education background and
not only popularity.
Campaign for Free and Fair Elections (CaFFE) an election monitoring
body issuing a press release criticised the main political parties
stating that the two main political parties are neglecting experienced
local politicians, who have been leading youth and women's groups and
party trade unions, in giving nominations for the coming provincial
council elections for Western and Southern provinces and filling their
nomination lists with ‘sex symbols.’
“The two main political parties are increasingly neglecting
individuals who have been active in grassroots and strengthening the
party, and focusing on popular new comers”, the CaFFE said.
Sri Lankan politics have a dearth of strong female politicians and
the current actions of main political parties, promoting movie stars and
beauty queens without political experience and knowledge over female
political activists with years of experience, have ensured that this
will continue into the foreseeable future.
“Provincial council elections are a gateway for talented regional
politicians to enter mainstream politics. By limiting individuals with
political experience and potential from entering provincial councils and
by promoting sex symbols who will further erode people's belief in
representative democracy, the two main political parties are destroying
the foundations of democracy. They are also destroying and/or delaying
the emergence of the next generation of political leaders who will
govern the country in the coming decades”, the release said.
Therefore the CaFFE urged all political parties and independent
groups to disengage from petty politics by promoting ‘sex symbols’ for
short term gain and encourage the emergence of political leaders who are
politically knowledgeable, disciplined and experienced.
With these criticism the popular actresses who intend to make their
entry to politics through this elections are posed with the challenge of
proving themselves that they are mature enough to take up challenges of
politics in their intention to serve the country as politicians.
Though the entry of popular actresses came under criticism, the entry
of popular political face Hirunika Premachandra, the daughter of
Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra, to the Provincial Council election fray
after she was appointed as SLFP organiser for the Colombo Central
electorate by the leader of the SLFP, President Mahinda Rajapaksa was
most welcomed by the political quarters.
According to political analysts, her entry to politics from Colombo
Central a stronghold of the UNP, will throw a challenge to the UNP which
is now in search of people to line up in defence of their stronghold.
Apart from popular faces many youngsters who follow the footsteps of
their fathers are also expected to make their entry into politics
through this Provincial Council election and their entry to politics are
yet to be confirmed by the nominations boards.
Daughter of Postal Services Minister Jeewan Kumarathunga before SLFP
nomination board has also attracted the media attention. After
completing her higher education Malsha Kumarathunga is also seeking
nomination from the UPFA ticket to contest the elections from the
Colombo district. Transport Minister Kumara Welgama's son Senal Welgama,
and Investment Promotion Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena's son
Pasinda Yapa Abeywardena are also tipped to make their entry into
politics from this Provincial Council elections from Kalutara and Matara
districts respectively.
Minister Piyasena Gamage's son Provincial Councillor Randima Gamage
and former Minister Mahinda Wijesekara's son Provincial Councillor
Kanchana Wijesekara are also vying for the PC elections this time too.
Former Minister Amarasiri Dodangoda's son Isuru Dodangoda, former
Deputy Minister Noel Kariyawasam's son Dulshan Kariyawasam and former MP
Nanda Gunasinghe's son Tisara Gunasinghe will also be contesting at the
upcoming elections from the Southern and Western Provinces under the
UPFA ticket.
When the Ministers’ sons are making their entry under UPFA ticket
former Minister Hemakumara Nanayakkara's son Attorney-at-Law Tharaka
Deshabimana Nanayakkara, former Minister Rupa Karunathilake's son
Sanjeewa Karunathilake, former MP Jayalath Jayawardena's son Dr. Kavinda
Jayawardena and former MP Justin Galappaththi's son Chathura
Galappaththi will also make their entry into politics from the Southern
and Western Provinces under the United National Party ticket.
According to General Secretary of the SLFP Minister Maithripala
Sirisena, basic organisational activities of the Western and Southern
provincial council elections have already been initiated at present.
“Interviews to select candidates have already been finalised and the
list will be concluded by 30th of January”, he said.
Over 400 applicants have participated in the interviews held at the
SLFP headquarters in Colombo on Monday to select candidates for
nominations from the SLFP for the Western and Southern provincial
council elections.
General Secretary of the SLFP Minister Maithripala Sirisena led the
interview board for selection of candidates for the Western Provincial
Council while Senior Vice President of the SLFP Minister Nimal Siripala
de Silva led the interview board to select candidates for the Southern
Provincial Council.
Ministers Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, S.B. Dissanayake, and Ranjith
Siyambalapitiya, and the Chief Ministers of the Central and Uva
Provinces Sarath Ekanayake and Sashendra Rajapaksa respectively
comprised the Western PC interview board.
Ministers A.H.M. Fowzie, Mahindananda Aluthgamage, Vijith Vijayamuni
de Soysa, and Nirmala Kotelawala, and the Chief Minister of the
Sabaragamuwa Province Mahipala Herath were the interview board members
for the Southern PC.
The SLFP Central Committee will make the final decision on the short
listed candidates.
Meanwhile, Minister Maithripala Sirisena has held discussions with
the constituent parties of the UPFA on getting their nominations for the
elections of the both provinces. The SLFP will contest the election
under the banner of the United People's Freedom Alliance.
Earlier Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC), a coalition partner of the
UPFA said the party will contest the Western Province and the Galle and
Matara districts of the Southern Province independently. The party has
not yet made a decision on how to contest the Hambantota district of the
Southern Province.
The ruling UPFA expects to complete its list of candidates for the
Provincial Council polls by the 27th of this month.
The United National Party has also appointed a nominations board for
the upcoming Southern and Western Provincial Council Elections and they
included, Chairman of the Leadership Council – MP Karu Jayasuriya, MP
Sajith Premadasa, MP Lakshman Kiriella, UNP General Secretary – MP Tissa
Attanayake, MP John Amaratunga, MP Kabir Hashim, MP Ravi Karunanayake,
MP Mangala Samaraweera, MP Thalatha Athukorala, MP Ruwan Wijeywardena,
Former MP Renuka Herath, MP D.M. Swaminathan.
Therefore, the United National Party is also expected to finalise
their nomination lists by the end of this month to be handed over to the
District Returning Officers before February 6, noon. |