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.