UNP to lead good governance coalition

To sign agreement with JHU today:

Coalition be registered after elections:

Parties to contest under Elephant symbol:

by Dhaneshi Yatawara

Prime Minister and United National Party (UNP) Leader, Ranil Wickremesinghe, declared that a UNP led coalition will contest the August elections under the Elephant symbol and invited political leaders, who backed good governance to join the coalition in the next few days.

He was addressing the UNP Special Convention at Campbell Park, Colombo, yesterday. Several leading political parties are expected to join the coalition, which will be registered as the United National Front for Good Governance after the August 17 elections. Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) the first political party to join the coalition will sign the agreement with the UNP today (12) .

Wickremesinghe told UNP members and supporters at the Special Convention it was time for all to get together and build the country, adding that it would be better for the country when leading political parties joined together to establish good governance.

“Political leaders who yearn for good governance can join us and defeat the corrupt political environment former President Mahinda Rajapaksa is trying to recreate,” Wickremesinghe said, cautioning that people must decide whether to vote for a better future for their family or that of the Rajapaksa family that still craves for power.

He said politicians who were completely defeated and rejected should not return to politics.

The realization of the UNP manifesto with five strategic plans for development, he said, required the people’s mandate. The manifesto promises to address unemployment, township development and improving standards of education. “We have already selected areas in the outstations for greater townships, even larger than Greater Chennai in India,” he said, explaining, “I have promised to set up a Volkswagen factory in Kurunegala where Mahinda Rajapaksa is trying to contest and an International Conference hall for Bentota.”

UNP General Secretary Minister Kabhir Hashim, Deputy Leader Minister Sajith Premadasa, Minister Ravi Karunanayake, State Minister Rosy Senanayake, former Parliamentarian Harin Fernando and several other political leaders also spoke.