Democratic Party will win 15 seats in Parliament: Sarath Fonseka

Text and Pix by P.D. De Silva

The Democratic Party expects to win 15 seats in Parliament on 17 August, according to DP Leader Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka, speaking to the media in Hakmana last morning.

Although the Democratic Party Leader was present throughout the meeting he did not make a speech due to ill health and a recorded clip was played instead.

“By taking our past performance we expect the people to elect a Democratic Party member to Parliament from every district and two MPs from Colombo, Gampaha and possibly Kalutara,” he added. For the past five or six decades the people from generation to generation have aligned themselves to a political party and continue voting for these parties even though these parties do not full fill their promises. The corrupt politicians in these political parties have been taking advantage of this trend to get themselves elected to Parliament, get ministerial portfolios and later forget their pre electoral promises. It is time the people get out of this party loyalty system and elect honest politicians who care for the nation, value its people and are concerned about the future generations to Parliament. It does not matter as to what political party they are from.”

In reply to a question posed by a journalist, he said he did not expect that any member elected to Parliament from his party could be bought. He said that there were people who changed their alliances from time to time but their political careers had been very short.

A few candidates contesting the 17 August election on the Democratic Party ticket and journalist Sanjeewa Ranathunge addressed the few hundred people who gathered near the Hakmana bus stand on Monday morning. The shrapnel-riddled Peugeot car used by the former Army Commander which was on display attracted much attention.