UNP dares govt. to hold PC polls on same day

 The opposition United National Party yesterday dared the government to hold the forthcoming polls to the three Provincial Councils – North Central, Sabaragamuwa and Eastern Provincial Councils on the same day, claiming that if it did, it would lose.

 

The government was scared of holding elections on the same day to all the Provincial Councils as it was now aware that it would be routed and that was why it was holding them on a staggered basis causing tremendous difficulties to the voters and the public, UNP General Secretary Tissa Attanayake told The Island yesterday.

 

However, government spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella told The Island on the day the councils were dissolved, that the government had every right to do it.

 

The UNP General Secretary said that the government was maintaining stoic silence on the holding of the election to the Northern Provincial Council which was deemed urgent, while dissolving the other three councils ahead of time, which was not necessary at present.

 

He also alleged that the government was abusing state property and all candidates and the former staff of the dissolved councils had not returned their vehicles. "The government also is adopting measures violating election laws in providing voters with jobs and other incentives in the run-up to elections.

 

Attanayake said that what people were worried about was the soaring cost of living as well as the severe drought in the North Central province and not elections.

 

(Island)