Wednesday, 6 August 2014 00:01
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MAIN opposition United National Party (UNP) Badulla District Parliamentarian Harin Fernando took his first step in the tussle for the Uva Province Chief Minister’s chair by resigning from Parliament on Tuesday as events gained pace.
He is not the first person to take a decisive step on the upcoming elections with the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) deciding to contest the elections to the Uva Provincial Council from the Badulla District in a coalition with Minister Rishad Bathiudeen’s All Ceylon Makkal Congress (ACMC) and the Up Country Muslim Council (UCMC) under the two-leaf symbol of the Democratic Unity Alliance.
SLMC General Secretary M.T. Hasen Ali had told reporters the Muslims in Badulla had requested the SLMC, the ACMC and UCMC to contest as a coalition so that the Muslims would be assured of a seat in the Uva Council. It is clear that the tragic events in Aluthgama and Beruwala will have repercussions, albeit limited, in the upcoming polls. With its faith in the ruling party bruised by its lacklustre response to the worst communal clashes in decades that left as least three people dead and scores of houses and shops burnt the Muslim community are putting pressure on their political representatives to gather with one voice.
As minorities lose faith in the ruling party, could there be a rift in the coalition among ethnic lines? The government’s failure to reign in hardline Buddhist groups is likely to push minority communities away from the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA). An obvious fact that may have already popped up on the radar of Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), which has apparently requested the National Freedom Front to return to the fold.
Speculation is rife that the SLFP’s request was made to shore up its Sinhala Buddhist voter base after NFF Leader Wimal Weerawansa expressed his disappointment with the leadership and handed over a 12 point proposal to “bring the country back on track.” Media reports have also indicated that the SLFP at least is considering the document. The withdrawal of other nationalist ally Jathika Hela Urumaya may also have motivated the olive branch to NFF.
Uva is Sri Lanka’s second last populated province and traditionally-economically stagnant. However, since the end of the war, it has benefitted from a tourism boom with nature parks such as Yala drawing massive crowds. At the edge of massive development projects in the Southern Province, it will be interesting to see whether the average voter feels that economic dividends have trickled down. As with all provincial elections, voter turnouts are expected to be low.
Another interesting observation point will be the performance of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) bolstered by the leadership of Anura Dissanayake, who will be facing his first test at the Uva elections. However, it is yet unclear whether the JVP has enough traction to attract the minority vote, instead likely making inroads to the moderate Sinhala Buddhist vote base. Democratic Party Leader Sarath Fonseka will also be keen to expand his influence with the latest round of votes.
With almost daily developments even before poll dates are announced, the Uva Provincial Council elections are promising to heat up after a slow start.
