August Elections:

Power blocs line up against common foe

by Sunday Observer election Desk

Rapid political re-alignments have begun on the eve of nominations as parties and groups react to last week’s sudden decision by the leadership of the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) to field former President Mahinda Rajapaksa as one of its candidates for the forthcoming parliamentary hustings.

The emerging new alignments are likely to pit a range of parties and coalitions that have been hostile to the Rajapaksa regime against the lone and weakened UPFA, analysts pointed out. With the former President’s entry into the SLFP’s nominations list, that party is likely to see break-aways by party stalwarts, while at least one party is expected to leave the Alliance.

Even as President Maithripala Sirisena yesterday affirmed that he would hold steadfast against any attempt to roll-back the ‘January 8 revolution’, other political forces who had all united in his support against the Rajapaksa presidency in January are now re-considering their own strategies.

As party tacticians disclosed to the Sunday Observer, they wish to steer clear of the illegitimacy they may suffer if they remain too close to a campaign that includes their political arch enemy.

The Jathika Hela Urumaya which was to contest the elections under the UPFA banner has decided to review their decision after the UPFA’s decision to give nomination to Mahinda Rajapaksa, a party official told the Sunday Observer.

The Democratic Party led by Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka is also reconsidering their decision to go solo at the elections after the decision to give nomination to the former President. “If Mahinda Rajapaksa is contesting we are ready to join hands with other parties to form a broader alliance to defeat him at the election. Therefore, we will reconsider our party decision in the next few days”, a spokesman told the Sunday Observer.

The decision by the UPFA is expected to trigger crossovers from the SLFP also as some of them are dissatisfied with the decision by its leaders to give nomination to Mahinda Rajapaksa. As the UPFA is struggling with their nomination lists the other political parties are finalising their nominations and electoral agreements with other parties.

The United National Party is preparing nominations and the Nomination Board of the party is scheduled to meet in Sirikotha, the party headquarters, today. The Board comprises senior Minister Karu Jayasuriya and other Ministers including Party General Secretary Kabir Hashim.

According to sources, the UNP has received 16,000 applications seeking nominations to contest the election on the UNP ticket.

The UNP will also have to wait till the last moment to finalise their nomination list to accommodate the possible crossovers from the SLFP, sources said.

The SLFP, the main constituent party of the UPFA, finalised interviewing of prospective candidates on Friday and they are expected to complete their nomination lists within the next few days with other political parties in the UPFA.

The Ceylon Workers Congress has also decided to contest the election under the UPFA banner and will field their candidates under the UPFA list.

The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna has already finalised their nomination lists and is expected to hand over nominations on July 12 and 13. JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake is contesting the election from the Colombo district.

The Democratic Party also said it is contesting almost all the districts and they are finalising their nominations. According to party sources, the DP leader Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka is contesting the election from the Colombo district and Anoma Fonseka is tipped to contest the election from the Gampaha district representing the Kelaniya electorate.

According to SLMC sources the party is yet to decide whether to contest the election alone or with the UNP after reaching electoral agreements to filed their candidates under the UNP banner.

The Tamil National Alliance will also contest the election in the North and the East and is expected to have discussions with other Tamil parties in the South to field their candidates in the South also.

The EPDP led by former Minister Douglas Devananda said that his party would contest the election alone in the North.

Meanwhile, the Elections Department said that 14 Independent groups have made deposits to contest the elections in 11 districts by July 3. Therefore, many more political parties and Independent groups are expected to hand over their nominations once nominations are open from tomorrow, July 6.