UPFA sweeps remaining local bodies but loses Colombo crown to UNP

Monday, 10 October 2011 01:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

By Chamitha Kuruppu

What may seem as another thrilling victory for the United People's Freedom Alliance in reality is dubious as it lost the most powerful Colombo Municipality at Saturday’s election.

The focal point of the final phase of the local government election was the power struggle in Colombo. Numerous development projects and the intense campaign of the UPFA were clear evidence that President Mahinda Rajapaksa administration fought this election for power in Colombo.

However, the election results have proved that the Rajapaksa regime has lost a battle to the people. Although UPFA has gained in numbers it has lost in terms of political power. UPFA won 21 out of the 23 local bodies with UNP and SLMC securing one each at Saturday’s election.

Whilst the United National Party lacked a refined programme — its decision to engage in campaign activities putting aside internal differences has helped immensely to increase their voter base in all 23 local authorities compared to the 2010 general elections.

However, the real loser was the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna that secured only five seats in Saturday’s election. Analysing the results it is clear that the UPFA and UNP have managed to acquire votes of the JVP making it the most hurt political party in Saturday’s poll. The internal rift of the JVP that took place during the last two weeks of the election campaign kept the party leadership away from canvassing and as a result the JVP has ended up with such poor performance.

The real victor of this election was Mano Ganesan who contested from the Democratic People’s Front. Ganesan who was nowhere in the political arena following his poor performance at the 2010 general election has emerged triumphant with bargaining power once again securing eight seats including six seats in the CMC. His party’s performance in other local authorities such as Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia and Kolonnawa are noteworthy.

Ganesan playing a shrewd political game managed to fill the vacuum of minority Tamils compelling the Tamil National Alliance to back him at the last minute and struck a deal with leftist Wickramabahu Karunaratna.

Meanwhile, the poor performance of parties such as the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) and the Hela Urumaya is clear evidence that they have failed to contribute much to the victory of their political ally the UPFA. The decision by the SLMC to contest independently in the CMC only resulted in splitting UPFA Muslim votes instead of UNP Muslim votes.

Another important factor of the concluded election is that although the Government was keen on buying UNP strongmen — they have miserably failed to win over the UNP voter base. M. Maharoof and Assad Sally have done little to win Muslim votes in the Colombo municipality.

However, although the UNP managed to secure its stronghold Colombo for the 59th year its failure to win the Kandy municipal council which UNP held for the past six decades was a notable failure of the main opposition. The UNP also lost Dehiwala-Mt. Lavinia. This proves that the unlike in Colombo people in Kandy have accepted the Government’s massive projects to develop the city. The UNP also lost the hold of its 30-year old power in Nuwara Eliya.