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JVP swallows ‘manape’ pill
By Shelani Perera
In a major compromise, the JVP which has fiercely attacked the preferential voting system, will now accept it at the April 2 general election. JVP frontliner Anura Dissanayake said the party had changed its stand on the manape which it once despised, because it had to follow a common policy with the SLFP in terms of the memorandum of understanding.

"When we are contesting under one list, we need to follow one system. We have not moved away from the party principle as we are not contesting under the JVP banner but under a new alliance," he said.

At previous elections, the JVP had hammered out at the personality battles over the preference votes and asked its supporters to vote for the party. No preferential numbers were given on JVP posters and the lists after elections were put to the party's politburo which decided on who should go to parliament after all those on the list resigned.

Mr. Dissanayake expressed confidence that despite the party accepting the manape system, there would be no internal rivalries.' Thus for the first time, the JVP in its posters will be giving the numbers of its candidates.

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