Politics at play on nominations day

Tuesday, 9 December 2014 01:34 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

‘Candidate’ Mahinda Rajapaksa creates history, submits nomination papers at 10:50 a.m.

Maithripala Sirisena submits nomination at 10:30 a.m.

Two objections raised toboth main candidates and rejected by polls chief

Large crowds greet candidates Rajapaksa and Sirisena outside Elections Secretariat

By Dharisha Bastians It’s official: Percy Mahendra Rajapaksa and Pallewatte Gamaralage Maithripala Yapa Sirisena will face off in one of Sri Lanka’s most decisive post-war polls on 8 January 2015. In a day marked by political defections and dramatic scenes, both candidates arrived separately at the Elections Secretariat in Rajagiriya yesterday to submit signed nomination papers to rubber stamp their candidacies to be the eighth executive president of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. Rajapaksa will contest on the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) ticket, with its betel leaf symbol, making history as the first incumbent to contest a presidential election three times, after his Government amended the constitution to remove presidential term limits in 2010. His Government is campaigning on three essential points - national security, political stability and development. His main challenger, Sirisena, will contest under the New Democratic Front banner, with its swan emblem and a pledge to scrap the executive presidential system within 100 days of his victory. Maithripala Sirisena, former Health Minister in President Rajapaksa’s Government, is the common candidate of several opposition parties led by the United National Party. Nineteen candidates have submitted their nominations for the presidential election, including one more Rajapaksa and one more Sirisena. All 19 nominations for the 8 January election have been accepted, Polls Chief Mahinda Deshapriya said, after the deadline for nominations lapsed at noon yesterday. Following the submission of nominations, the Elections Commissioner provided 30 minutes for the filing of objections. Two objections were raised during the nominations process, with New Left Front Leader Wickremabahu Karunaratne objecting to the candidacy of Mahinda Rajapaksa, while Nath Amarakoon objected to the nomination of Maithripala Sirisena. The Elections Commissioner said he had used powers vested in his office to reject both objections. ‘Candidate’ and incumbent President Rajapaksa handed over his nomination papers at the auspicious time of 10:50 a.m. The incumbent President was one of the last candidates to arrive at the Elections Secretariat in Rajagiriya yesterday. Sirisena was accompanied to the Election Secretariat by UNP Leadership Council Chairman Karu Jayasuriya, Deputy Leader Sajith Premadasa, former Minister Rajitha Senaratne, Democratic Party Leader Sarath Fonseka, UNP Assistant Leader Ravi Karunanayake, UNP MP Wijedasa Rajapakse, Arjuna Ranatunge and other Opposition personalities. Private television stations complained that the national broadcaster, who was providing live feed of the nominations day at the Elections Secretariat, had blocked the feed without its logo and branding that was to be provided to other channels on the instructions of the polls chief shortly before Sirisena handed over his nomination. However several channels continued to telecast the feed, using the Rupavahini branded material.

Polls chief calls for peaceful electionOfficially closing the nominations process for the 8 January 2015 presidential election, Polls Chief Mahinda Deshapriya denied accusations that his office was not acting independently. Deshapriya called on all candidates to ensure the poll early next year was free and fair and noted that cut-outs and posters were a direct violation of election laws. He also urged the state and private media to report impartially during the polls campaign. Commonwealth and Asian monitors would be deployed as foreign observers during the presidential election, Deshapriya announced. He asserted that the use of state employees and state resources for election campaigning was a violation of election laws.

Maithripala declares assets, returns ministry fuel vouchersStriking a chord for good governance and transparency, presidential candidate Maithripala Sirisena submitted his asset declaration form to Elections Commissioner Mahinda Deshapriya yesterday. “Copies of my asset declaration are also available at my campaign office which is open to all members of the public, if they wish to peruse it,” Sirisena told media personnel at the Opposition leader’s office in Colombo yesterday, after he handed over his nomination. Sirisena also returned what he said was hundreds of thousands of rupees worth of fuel vouchers provided to him by the Ministry of Health, when he held the portfolio. “If I give this to any fuel station, it is possible to get millions back in cash. But I have asked an official from the Health Ministry to collect them here from me today,” Sirisena said. The move was seen as a kick-starter to an election campaign that is pledging to stand against rampant Government corruption, extravagance and abuse of power. “This is a battle between the power of weapons and wealth and the power of the people,” Sirisena told the news conference. “Weapons have no strength against the might of the people.” He was flanked by UNP National Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, UNP Leadership Council Chairman Karu Jayasuriya, former Minister Rajitha Senaratne, former Army Chief Sarath Fonseka, UNP Assistant Leader Ravi Karunanayake and a host of other Opposition MPs and personalities.

My journey is about philosophy, not personality: Candidate MahindaPresidential candidate and incumbent Mahinda Rajapaksa told supporters his campaign was based on policies rather than personalities, soon after submitting his nomination for the 8 January election yesterday. “This is a journey based on a political philosophy, this journey is not about individuals and personalities,” he said. It was at the scene that President Rajapaksa announced that UNP General Secretary Tissa Attanayake would be joining his Government. “It is not difficult to get UNPers to join,” the President said. His door was always open, he added. President Rajapaksa addressed large crowds of supporters who had arrived to greet them near the Elections Secretariat. Waving identical flags and posters, the supporters cheered madly as President Rajapaksa arrived in their midst in an open air minibus. A large screen television erected close by had broadcasted the nominations process live to the President’s supporters. Large cut-outs of the President marked the road to the Secretariat, despite the Elections Commissioner’s repeated request that these materials not be erected in the vicinity.