SLFP & SLPP together could achieve 55% majority at LG polls: Susil

By Skandha Gunasekara

Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) stalwart Minister Susil Premajayantha yesterday asserted that a 55% majority at the upcoming Local Government elections could be achieved if both the SLFP and Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna votes were combined. 

“If we combine the votes of the SLFP as well as the SLPP we will be able to achieve a 55% majority in almost all electorates,” he said. The Minister made these remarks while addressing a press briefing held at the SLFP headquarters. 

The Minister then asserted that if it came to a situation where two parties would need to unite to establish a council, the SLFP would opt to unite with members of the SLPP.

“According to the new election format it will be quite difficult for a single party to win a Local Government council. Therefore, if we were to join with another party it would be the SLPP as most of them are former SLFPers anyway. Obviously it will be easier to join forces with those who were once part of our party,” he said, adding that it was even possible that the three parties would unite to govern a local government council. 

Furthermore, the Minister noted that an SLFP gathering would take place tomorrow at the Sugathadasa Stadium where the election manifesto of the party would be released.

“Close to 9,000 candidates will be present at the event where we will distribute the manifesto among them. Thereafter all candidates will pledge to follow the guidelines stipulated in the SLFP manifesto,” he said.

Additionally, Minister Premajayantha asserted that all SLFP organisers and candidates would be notified of the election rules and guidelines set out by the Elections Commission by 2 January.