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Health, Nutrition and Uva Wellassa Development Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva was interviewed by Sunday Observer staff reporter Anura Maitipe in respect of the decision made by the Ceylon Workers' Congress (CWC) to support UNP Presidential candidate Ranil Wickremesinghe in the forthcoming elections.

Question: What would be the impact created by the CWC in the forthcoming Presidential election especially in Badulla district?

Answer: Victory for Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse in Badulla District is definite as the members of the Tamil community have lost their faith in the CWC. Now CWC Leader Thondaman cannot take the Estate Tamil for a ride to gain personal benefits.

What the Tamil community needs is better health services, housing, schools and the job opportunities. It was the People's Alliance Government took the initiative to provide modern houses for the Tamil community with that amenities. During the period of the PA government took over estate hospitals and upgraded them into the level of district hospitals.

Q: Are the voters of Badulla tilted towards the UNP ?

A: No. Let us look at the results of the election held in 2001. In that election, Thondaman was with the UNP and the UNP won Badulla with a majority of 35,910 votes. In 2004, the UNP was in power and we were in the Opposition but in that election we lost Badulla only by 3,861 votes. With the launch of massive development projects by the PA and the UPFA governments the situation has now changed completely.

It was the PA government that took the initiative to provide a new bus-stand, shopping complex, Post Office and water supply scheme for Badulla. In addition to this, Badulla hospital was upgraded to the level of a teaching hospital. Diyatalawa and Mahiyanganaya hospitals were also upgraded to the level of base hospitals.

The decision made by the CWC Leader Arumugan Thondaman has already created factions within the CWC and there is an internal battle among the CWC members. The CWC will learn a bitter lesson at the end of this election.

Q: Who are the CWC members that pledged support to SLFP candidate Mahinda Rajapakse in the forthcoming Presidential election?

A: Senior members such as P.P.Devaraj, S.Sathasivam together with many senior Provincial Councillors and Pradeshiya Sabha members of the CWC have already extended their support to Prime Minister Rajapakse. The CWC votes in Sabaragamuva, Central, Uva and Southern Provinces would be divided between the two candidates. And this will help the victory of SLFP candidate Rajapakse.

Q: What are your comments on Mahinda Chintanaya?

A: It is the most realistic manifesto ever produced by the centre and left oriented parties. Since 1957 this is the first time that all patriotic movements have gathered under a common leadership.

This is not an election between Mahinda Rajapakse and Ranil wickremesinghe. This is an election between patriotic groups who want to develop the country unitedly and another group who want to play into the hands of separatists and imperialists. The Elephant, Tiger, Cockerel camp is headed by Ranil Wickremesinghe with the support of anti-nationalists and the Nationalist team is headed by Mahinda Rajapakse with the support of the Pancha Maha balavegaya.

The SMS survey conducted by certain private television channels had indicated victory for Ranil Wickremesinghe in the forthcoming presidential election.He will be the SMS president by the vote of pro-UNP television and their meagre viewers. But the majority of ordinary people will vote for Mahinda Rajapakse.

Q: But the UNP is of the view that they would win this election with the help of minority votes ?

A: It is a wrong calculation. If this ideology is correct, in that case, the UNP should have won the general election held in 2004.

In the election held in 2004, the CWC, Hakeem faction of the SLMC and the UNP all three groups contested together under the UNP symbol. But they were defeated by the United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) led by the SLFP.

Q: How about the North then?

A: We should not assume that all the voters in the North and East are in favour of the LTTE and the UNP. The voters who will vote for other parties like EPDP, EPRLF, Karuna faction and Anandasangaree faction of the TULF will vote for the SLFP Presidential Candidate Mahinda Rajapakse.

However, in this election, the bargaining power of king makers such as CWC and SLMM will end. The UNP will learn a bitter lesson for its dependence on minority votes to come to power.

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