Nominations tomorrow for the August 17 parliamentary elections will see the emergence of two principal contenders in most districts — the United People’s Freedom Alliance and the United National Party.  That it would be a one-on-one battle became clear as the two sides concluded their nomination lists last night. A few have been handed over [...]

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Stage set for political showdown

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Nominations tomorrow for the August 17 parliamentary elections will see the emergence of two principal contenders in most districts — the United People’s Freedom Alliance and the United National Party.  That it would be a one-on-one battle became clear as the two sides concluded their nomination lists last night. A few have been handed over earlier. “We are coming forth with one list of candidates as the UPFA,” Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, General Secretary of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party, the predominant partner in the alliance, told the Sunday Times.

In a last minute development, UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe announced at the party’s annual convention yesterday that a broader United National Front for Good Governance was in the making. It was together with those earlier in the UPFA. However, they too will contest under the elephant symbol. Among those coming forward are Jathika Hela Urumaya frontliner Patali Champika Ranawaka and one time UNPer and former UPFA Minister Rajitha Senaratne. A memorandum of understanding enunciating the principles of “good governance” is to be signed today at Temple Trees.

One-time Minister Wimal Weerawansa, a spokesman for former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, said Mr. Rajapaksa would be in Kurunegala tomorrow to hand over nominations. “The UNP thought it would win because the UPFA was divided. They are proved wrong. We will also prove them wrong at the elections.”

Other than the two major political parties, the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) is also fielding candidates in many districts. “We are sure voters will place more confidence in us this time. This is because the President and the UNP Government have failed to act against bribery and corruption despite promises to the people,” JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake told the Sunday Times.

In the North and the East, the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) is fielding candidates, its leader Rajavarothayam Sampanthan said. He said nominations for Batticaloa District would be handed over tomorrow while nominations for all other districts had already been handed over.

According to Sri Lanka Muslim Congress leader Rauff Hakeem, his party will contest under the UNP’s elephant symbol. The only exception will be in the districts of Wanni and Batticaloa. There, he said, the party would field its own candidates.
By Friday evening, some 48 political parties and 111 independent groups had handed in their nominations.

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