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03-04-2006

We are the real winner, claims JVP

By Shamindra Ferdinando

The JVP Sunday declared that it was the real winner at Thursday's local government polls, a claim vehemently disputed by both the ruling coalition and UNP.

The decision making politburo said the JVP contested the March 30 poll on its own and succeeded in polling 822,804 votes (12 percent), beating the previous best 815,353 (9.1 percent) registered at the 2001 parliamentary elections.

UPFA and UNP sources said that polls results stunned the JVP."They expected control of several bodies," a UNP MP said. "They were rejected," he said claiming that the result proved that there were only two major parties and the JVP would never be a real challenge. He expressed the belief the President Mahinda Rajapakse would seek the support of the UNP to press ahead with the Norwegian-led peace process.

The JVP said that the UPFA polled 3,376,966 (48.64 percent) while the UNP secured 2,413,736 (34.77 percent). The JVP claimed that the SLFP and the UNP received the support of other parties, particularly the SLMC, which backed the ruling coalition.

But according to figures released at a SLFP press conference chaired by SLFP General Secretary Maithripala Srisena on Sunday, the JVP polled 824,359 (11.99 percent) of the vote against the UPFA 3,369,074 (48.81 %) nd UNP 2,428 731( 35.19 %)

The JVP said that it polled 6.93 % of the total vote at the 2002 local government polls. JVP parliamentary group leader Wimal Weeravansa is seheduled to brief the press today regarding the political situation.

The JVP said that they increased the number of councillors from 219,to 363 while elections were yet to be held for several local bodies. The Marxist party expressed satisfaction over their result secured at local government elections. A party spokesman said that generally political parties increase their tally at general elections. The politburo expressed delight over being the opposition at Anuradhapura, Karandeniya, Ambalantota, Sooriyawewa and Angunakolapalessa local government bodies.

The politburo pointed out that it retained the Tissahaharama Pradeshiya while increasing the number of councillors from six to seven. "This means we met the expections of the Tissamaharama voters," the spokesman said.

The politburo expressed the belief that last week's result was evidence that they would fare even better at a parliamentary election. It was significant that the UPFA secured 225 local bodies (8458 %) despite the SLFP -led PA and the JVP contesting separately. December that the ruling coalition and the JVP performed well, the politburo said other parties had suffered the ignominy of a humilating defeat. It did not make a direct reference to the JHU, which polled 71,841 (1.03 %) votes. The JHU secured 13 seats.

Source- Island