Leading parties gear up for LG polls in North

by L. S. Ananda WEDAARACHCHI

Leading political parties and Independent groups are gearing up for the forth-coming Local Government polls in the North.

Sri Lanka Freedom Party General Secretary and Agriculture Development and Agrarian Services Minister Maithripala Sirisena said that the SLFP had decided to contest the LG Polls in the North. The UPFA candidates together with the SLFP nominees will contest, he said.

The democratic political parties should give the leadership to Northern Youth who were misled by the LTTE terrorists for the last 30 years, he said.

The United National Party General Secretary Tissa Attanayaka said that a decision would be taken at the working committee meeting to be held on June 9 as to whether the party would contest the LG polls.

Eelam People’s Democratic Party Media Secretary Nelson S. Edirisinghe said that they would contest the forthcoming LG Polls in the North. “We have not yet decided whether the EPDP would contest under the UPFA or not. A decision will be taken at the EPDP Central Committee meeting to be held shortly.”

The EPDP stressed that the Northern administration should be handed over to the people’s representatives, the Government’s decision to hold elections in the North was highly appreciated, he said.

Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna, Propaganda Secretary Vijitha Herath said that his party’s view is that the current situation in the North is not conducive to holding election. “However the JVP has decided to contesting only Vavunia district at the LG Polls”, he said.

A spokesman for Elections Department said that the date for nominations for the LG Polls in the North will be announced on June 4. The Northern Province Consists of one Municipal Council, five Urban Councils and 28 Pradeshiya Sabhas.