Admits infighting for preferential votes :

I have friends in the UPFA:

Uva voters will take historic decision - Harin Fernando

By Jaliya Wijeyekoon

The Uva Provincial Council election to be held in September 20 has turned out to be the most vigorous, aggressive and formidable election in recent times. Undoubtedly it is equally important to both the ruling party, UPFA and the main Opposition United National Party (UNP) as this is the last provincial election prior to a National election which would be held next year. The general opinion of the public and the strong belief of the political analysts is that the results of this election will directly affect the final outcome of the next national election, be it Presidential or parliamentary.

In this political backdrop the two main parties and the JVP have intensified their election campaign resulting in a number of incidents which violated the election law of the land. The Sunday Observer conducted an exclusive interview with the Chief Ministerial candidate of the main opposition UNP Harin Fernando to ascertain the activities regarding the election campaign and his chances of winning the province for the party. Excerpts of the interview:

Q: You have been actively engaged in the election campaign since the day you filed nominations for the Uva PC. How is the progress being made so far?

A: It is excellent. Not only from the day I submitted nominations but from the day I decided to run for the CM post, I was doing groundwork for our election campaign.

This is a very crucial election and we have to win this election. You asked about the progress being made in this election campaign. I am happy and proud to state that my election campaign is very much better and stronger than what I expected it to be. I have already canvassed in all eight electorates in the district and also in very remote corners where the basic facilities are not available. Some people who I have never seen in my life rally round us in large numbers expressing their solidarity. There was a number of occasions where the former UPFA supporters in all eight electorates in the Badulla district crossed over to our party and they are working day and night to support my candidature.

They themselves organise meetings for us and request us to address them anytime of the day. Since the day we started our aggressive campaign, it is always past midnight or rather early morning when we finish our meetings.

Q: Yes, we have seen large crowds at your meetings. But what is the guarantee that all of them will vote for you?

A: People don't attend UNP meetings for the fun of it. People are riddled with poverty and silently stomach all difficulties and awaiting for a relief. A large number of youth who supported UPFA during the past elections has joined us saying that they have now realised that UPFA do not have a proper program of work to solve the burning issues of the youth in the province.

Q: Under the preferential voting system it is quite common that infighting takes place in any political party. Do you also experience similar problems with your members in the team?

A:What you said is quite correct. We are human beings and all candidates want to win. But we as a team meet regularly, discuss our matters and try to avoid misunderstandings and work quite cordially with each other with the firm conviction of defeating the UPFA administration in the council. Our aim is to canvass for personal preferences. As the chief ministerial candidate I have absolutely no problem with any of my team mates who render their fullest cooperation to me. We have very senior party stalwarts in our team and all of us work together happily to achieve power for our party under my leadership in the province.

Q: There were some allegations against you, that you met Parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa and tried to make a political deal with the UPFA in the future. What is it all about?

A: I have very clearly explained this to the media a number of times. I would only say that I have friends in the UPFA. They are my personal friends as well as political opponents. I am a principled man who cannot be duped by anybody. Let's not talk about it any further.

Q: You requested all your party leaders to come on one stage and support you at the election campaign and now it had been fulfilled. Do you think that it has a great impact on your party performance?

A: Of course, yes. Our party grassroots level membership has got a new lease of life with that meeting and everybody is now working with a grit and determination of defeating the UPFA rule. All minor differences among the top brass have now been settled and Ranil Wickremesinghe, Sajith Premadasa, Karu Jayasuriya and all others have pledged with one voice to march forward until we capture power and form a UNP regime. Political elements of the government never thought I would get such huge backing.

Q: All electorates in Badulla district are represented by prominent government ministers and few MPs of UPFA. How can you say that you can easily win the district for the party?

A: Yes the electorates are represented by Ministers and MPs of the UPFA. But there is a number of burning issues that had not been addressed by any of them. Certain distant, remote areas of some electorates had been badly neglected for a long time. Even the basic needs such as water, electricity and health facilities have not been provided so far.

That is why the Central Bank reports have continuously stated that the least developed and the poorest province is Uva in their annual reports. Some minor projects and schemes which had been introduced by our former Chief Minister Percy Samaraweera had been discontinued.

Q: Although you say so, the ruling UPFA claims that they have rendered a great deal of service to the people of Uva Province during the last two terms of their office.

A: If they had rendered a great service during the past two terms how can the province remains as the poorest province in the island? We admit the fact that they have done up the main roads in the province and some infrastructure facilities in towns in the province. But most of the population is living in rural areas and hardly anything done to uplift the living standards of the peasants.

They only criticise me and my team mates on the political platform for cheap publicity. They have no future program of work to present to the people and seek their support. People have lost faith in them and I am sure September 20 will definitely pronounce our victory.

Q: Even at the previous elections held in other provinces your party made similar allegations against the government. But what was the final outcome? The UPFA retained power easily in all of them. Similarly the UPFA says that their victory in Uva is also a foregone conclusion.

A: If UPFA judges the results of Uva with the same yardstick, they are sadly mistaken. Circumstances are different in Uva province and the national political atmosphere has taken a different turn in the country in last few weeks.

Q: It is just only a week away for the election. Do you think that you have adequately addressed the masses to woo the support for your party and specially for you to become the Chief Minister?

A: No person can possibly visit all households in the province within a period of 6-7 weeks. That is why we formulated a vibrant election propaganda drive to address all people. Our election campaign is multifaceted. Our message is sent to every household in the province through our committed party supporters. I was also engaged in house to house canvassing at the beginning of our campaign. But with the very busy schedule of public meetings and other election-related activities house to house canvassing is done by our party loyalists which is nearing completion. It is only three more days to stop the campaign and I strongly believe that we had been fully successful in addressing everybody in the province.

Q: What are your chances of winning the district for the party?

A: I am 200 per cent confident of winning the district for our party with the prevailing situation of the cost of living, socio economic standard, general political atmosphere and the attitudinal behaviour of politicians accompanied by the never ending problems in health, education agriculture and transport sectors which directly affect the livelihood of the poor people of the country.

Q: How about the large scale development activities carried out by the government?

A: What is the percentage of the country's population benefited by these mega development projects? Not even 5 percent. We are not against the development but government had mixed up the priorities.

IN Uva Province during the last two months we have educated the masses over all these and we are quite confident that on the 20th Uva Province people will take a historic decision for their betterment.