The President’s hope to disqualify Dissanayake via the Courts failed -SB

(January 22, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) The UNP Chief Ministerial candidate for Central Province , S.B. Dissanayake addressing the media at the UNP media unit today (22 Jan) , said the President has become so panicky about the forthcoming Provincial Council elections that he has himself taken over the role of the UPFA candidate Sarath Ekanayake in the election campaign. There are two reasons for the President’s shameless stooping : one, he is so sure that Dissanayake and his party , the UNP will win. The other , he as the President is most resourceful in manipulations and capable of resorting to the worst of violence and cover ups to achieve his atrocious designs.

The President’s hope to disqualify Dissanayake via the Courts failed. So, he is now determined to prove his authority and power over him by trying to win elections by fair or foul measures. Recently , the President went to the electorate and met religious prelates , businessmen, Insurance Agents , CTB staff , Muslim Moulavis, Estate workers to whom he gave gifts too. Dissanayake said , later however ,when he personally met them most of them had a hearty laugh referring to those meetings.

The worst part of the President’s campaign and the most comical feature was the President’s attempt to show through the media with pictures that 5000 UNP ers crossed over to the UPFA. The news showed a procession of supporters about 1500 with green caps as the UNP ers who crossed over. But, in fact except the two who led the procession all others were PA supporters in green caps . There are video tapes and films with him to prove this and the identities of the PA supporters . Clearly it is the President’s absolute fear of a resounding UNP victory that is prompting him to descend to this type of camouflages and deceits to fool the people, Dissanayake noted. Of course ,the two supporters who led the procession were UNP ers who were discarded several years ago by the party.

The Govt. is violating every election law . It is using State vehicles, intimidation tactics , distributing lands , job applications , holding interviews promising jobs, holding meetings with Principals and teachers depriving precious study time of school children closing schools and even ordering them to vote for the UPFA. But, the voters cannot be duped all the time , because no Govt. neglected the Central Provincial Councils and the electorates as the Rajapakse Govt. Estate workers are starving, Roads are all damaged ; Farmers cannot get their water because the streams on which they depend are all blocked due to neglect of the authorities ; Schools are all in a dilapidated condition and practically all residents are faced with acute economic hardships as the Tea and rubber Industries too of the area are in a state of collapse .

Of course, Thondaman and Chandrasekeran , the so called champions of the cause of the Estate workers are wallowing in luxury , he pointed out.

In the circumstances , can the Govt. win the election if held in a fair manner ? he asked. It is therefore no wonder ,the President himself is in a sorry plight compelled to toil hard, he observed. - Sri Lanka Guardian