Opposition, no challenge at LG polls

by Uditha KUMARASINGHE

Child Development and Women’s Affairs Minister Tissa Karalliyadda said that the Opposition would not pose any challenge to the Government at the forthcoming Local Government polls.

“As a politician who represents an area which continuously faced the threat of terrorism for nearly three decades, I would say that the people in areas such as Medawachchiya, Padaviya, Kebithigollewa and Rambewa have great respect for President Mahinda Rajapaksa,” Minister Karalliyadda told the Sunday Observer yesterday.

“People in terror-affected areas lived in fear. Even those in urban areas faced the threat of terrorism.

“People are happy that there is no such situation in the country today. At present we have excellent relations between the people in the North and the South.

A massive development drive has been launched in the Northern and Eastern provinces, he said. Minister Karalliyadda said that people have faced problems such as economic hardships. The Government has provided solutions to many problems. No country has sorted out these problems completely. Despite problems, people have much hope in the Government. He said that Ministers too should make sacrifices and curtail the benefits enjoyed by them. “As a Minister I have set an example. Ministers don’t need huge buildings to run their Ministries.”