By Dharisha Bastians 

in Udugampala

UPFA Gampaha District strongman Prasanna Ranatunga slammed former party leader and past President Chandrika Kumaratunga yesterday calling her SLFP credentials into question after she called on supporters to vote against Mahinda Rajapaksa in the 17 August election.

“Chandrika Kumaratunga is SLFP in name only. I challenge her to say what she has done in recent elections to ensure the victory of the SLFP,” Ranatunga charged in the landscaped garden of his campaign headquarters and residence in Udugampala, Minnuwangoda.

The Western Province Chief Minister who is one of Rajapaksa’s staunchest allies, said there was no impact to the UPFA’s electoral fortunes from Kumaratunga’s four page statement on how SLFP supporters should vote in next Monday’s poll released last week.  

“In 2005 and then again in 2010, Chandrika sabotaged Mahinda’s campaigns,” Ranatunga claimed.

He said that the former President had also tried to deny him the UPFA nomination, after the FCID summoned him for questioning during the nominations period.

The Western Province Chief Minister is a force to reckon with in the District, that President Maithripala Sirisena won by a wafer thin margin of 4,660 votes in the January presidential poll.

Ranatunga claims the Parliamentary election is a different beast. 

“The coalition that won in January is not contesting together. The JVP and the Democratic Party will break votes from the UNP coalition, allowing us to win with a lead of over 60,000 votes,” the confident Chief Minister asserted.

The former President Rajapaksa is the key factor in next week’s election, Ranatunga explained, claiming that the UPFA’s de facto premier candidate was riding a massive popular wave. “Those who stood with him stand the best chance, because it is these loyalists that are laying claim to the groundswell of support for his return to office,” he said.

CBK says choice is an animal instead of betel leaf or hand symbols

Former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaranatunga says that they would have to choose an animal instead of the hand or betel leaf symbols to build the country following the forthcoming General Election.

The Former President stated this while addressing a conference organised by the Purawasi Balaya organisation in the Ambilipitiya area.

She also stated that she would support the forces comprising all parties, including the UNP and the SLFP, who have joined hands to contest by setting aside differences, in order to build a national government.