Plantation workers pledge overwhelming support for government

The plantation community has now realised the folly of dividing their votes among candidates who cannot contribute to their development programs which the UPFA Government had initiated and this would be reflected at the forthcoming LG polls resulting in an overwhelming majority for the Government, the leaders of UPFA allies, the Ceylon Workers' Congress (CWC) and the Upcountry People's Front (UPF) told the Sunday Observer.

CWC President and Deputy Minister of Economic Affairs Muthu Sivalingam said that plantation workers looked forward to development programs which the UPFA Government had initiated for their social and economic welfare. They have realised that Opposition candidates who use them as tools for their selfish political goals cannot do anything with regard to such development programs. Hence they will give an overwhelming mandate to the Government and its constituents in the plantations, he said. Although a large majority of the plantation workers had voted for the UPFA and its allies in the 2010 Presidential and Parliamentary Elections, a certain percentage of their votes had been divided among candidates who had used them as tools for their selfish political goals but it will be a different scenario altogether this time around, he said.

UPF political leader, parliamentarian V.Radhakrishnan also expressed similar views.

The CWC is contesting the Municipal Councils in Colombo, Nuwara Eliya, Kandy, Matale, Badulla and Kurunegala and the Pradeshiya Sabhas in Kundasale and Kangawatakorale in alliance with the UPFA under the 'betel' symbol while it would contest the Ratnapura MC under its own 'cockerel' symbol said CWC parliamentarian S.Rajadurai who leads the polls campaign.

The CWC had two sitting members in the Colombo MC, two in the Matale MC, one member in the Nuwara Eliya MC, two members in the Kundasale PS and one in the Gangawatakorale PS, he said.

The UPF is contesting the Nuwara Eliya MC in alliance with the UPFA under its 'betel' symbol while it would contest the Badulla MC under its 'mammoty' symbol, party Councillor in the Uva Provincial Council Aravindakumar said. P.K.