Sri Lanka’s governing party bagged a landslide victory again defeating the country’s main ethnic Tamil party and the main opposition in provincial assembly elections.
Posted on September 9th, 2012
Sri Lanka News
Sri LankanƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ President MahindaƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Rajapaksa’sƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ruling United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA)ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ today defeated the country’s main ethnic Tamil party in the elections held for three of the island’s nine provinces. The elections are seen as a test of whether Tamils still want self-rule in a region devastated by decades of civil war.
The election authorities say President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s United People’s Freedom Alliance has won 14 seats in the eastern provincial council while the Tamil National Alliance secured 11.
The UPFAƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ coalition has won 21 seats in the 33-member council in the north central province clearing for landslide victory for the government. The main Opposition United National Party (UNP)ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ won 11 seats while the remaining one seat was annexed by the Marxist JVP while the south-western provincial council (Sabaragamuva) maintaining a comfortable win for the UPFA with UPFAƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ coalition winning 28 seats the main opposition winning only 14 seats .
Eastern Province
United People’s Freedom Alliance ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Total Votes – 200,044 ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Percentage- 31.58 % Seats Won- 14
Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kadchi Total Votes 193,827 Percentage 30.59 % Seats Won 11
Sri Lanka Muslim Congress Total Votes 132,917 Percentage 20.98 % Seats Won 7
United National Party Total Votes 74,901 Percentage11.82 % Seats Won 4
National Freedom Front Total Votes 9,522 Percentage1.5 % Seats Won 1
People’s Liberation Front Total Votes 3,154 Percentage0.5 % Seats Won 0
North Central Province
United People’s Freedom Alliance Total Votes – ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 338,552 Percentage-61.23 % Seats Won-21*
United National Party ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Total Votes – ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 196,127 Percentage-35.47 % Seats Won-11
People’s Liberation Front Total Votes – 16,066 Percentage-2.91 % Seats Won-1
United People’s Freedom Alliance Total Votes – ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 488,714 Percentage-59.18 % Seats Won-28*
United National Party Total Votes – ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 286,857 Percentage-34.73 % Seats Won-14
Ceylon Worker’s Congress (P.Wing) Total Votes – ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 25,985 Percentage-3.15 % Seats Won- 2
September 9th, 2012 at 5:56 am
Election results show some positive reactions of the people, a progress I should say, specifically with Tamils, who are beginning to realise that they belong to the majority and they will be well off with the majority rather than going alone in the self-destructive racist path. It is quite visible that the thinking pattern of the general public in Sri Lanka is confidently and positively independent of the pro-western mass propaganda fed by the lost tribes of the West. Muslims also will slowly be integrated with the main political parties rather than getting bogged down in the regional and racially biased political groups. Nandimitra over to you!!!
September 9th, 2012 at 6:38 am
Seems like it is too early to celebrate.
According to Xinhua, UNP has agreed to back TNA. Then UNP+TNA will have an equal number as UPFA+NFF=15.
SLMC becomes the king makers.
Many SLMC cross-overs in UPFA. Depending on what happens, they might cross back or SLMC clowns might cross over. This is far from over.
If the govt wants to PREVENT a TNA-UNP rule, BAN the TNA IMMEDIATELY.
In a way this is good. Now the govt FEELS the need to ban the TNA.
At least ban them in the court case THIS week – 14 September.
Hon Jayantha Liyanage, the nation is in your hands. Help him now financially.
September 9th, 2012 at 11:24 am
TNA WILL BE HISTORY AFTER THE 14th SEPTEMBER. THE SWORD OF DAMOCLESE IS HANGING OVER THEIR HEADS. I DO HOPE THE LEGAL PRESENTATIONS WILL BE VERY CLEAR.
September 9th, 2012 at 1:24 pm
Agree with NeelaMahaYoda.
The results do indicate a VERY SURPRISING move by Tamils towards the middle of the political spectrum, away from the racist separatist agenda of the EELAMISTS.
Perhaps, all that the UPFA Govt has done on the ground to alleviate the pain and suffering of Tamils formerly held in the vice-like grip of the LTTE for so long, despite the naysayers of the Tamil diaspora and the jaundiced West striving to create dissatisfaction among them, is finally beginning to percolate into the Tamil mind. No amount of Eelamist propaganda can HIDE THE REALITY to again live without fear and prosper FREELY as Equal Citizens of Mother Lanka.
The environment to let that recognition grow and prosper towards full integration MUST BE SUSTAINED, firmly closing off ALL OTHER REGRESSIVE PATHS to a RELAPSE into racist separatism. Love and Kindness in one hand, the Shield and the Sword in the other, and Unyielding Resolve in the heart, is the prescription.
Lorenzo is also correct: we should not celebrate until the Fat Lady sings … and I do not hear her lilting ululations just yet. The UPFA victory can be overturned if all those in opposition band together.
Therefore, it is imperative to ensure they CANNOT. Fortunately, MR, the master politician casting the fish net, has the fish bait necessary to do just that. We need more TIME and SUSTAINED EFFORT to complete the process of social integration and economic recovery to heal and bind the wounds of the last 30 years.
Let all of us help in that effort.
September 9th, 2012 at 1:52 pm
From Xinhua.
“Premachandran said that the UNP has agreed to back the TNA and with their support, the TNA will match the number of seats the governing party has in the council.
“The SLMC will now be the king maker. If the SLMC backs us then we will have a majority in the council and can govern the province. They will now have to decide if they will back us or the government,” Premachandran said.”
Remember UNP-TNA pact in May Day rallies?
Now that comes to help them.
UPFA needs 4 more seats (19-15) to take the majority (37/2). Otherwise it will be defeated in budget time.
September 9th, 2012 at 2:48 pm
Lorenzo,
I HATE this reliance on communal parties (such as the SLMC) to achieve the political majority required to govern, at the center or in the provinces.
I recall the GRIDLOCK that prevented successive SLFP and UNP governments from effectively governing the country and defending the sovereignty of the nation since independence. Only in the elections that followed the defeat of the LTTE did a Govt gain a sufficient majority …. albeit without elections in the Provinces recently liberated from the LTTE.
Kingmaking minority communal parties usually demand concessions that widen divisions in the social fabric and threaten the integrity of the nation. I recall how the TC and FP Tamil parties played that role in the past.
The solution is to BAN ALL COMMUNAL PARTIES. Out with the TNA, the SLMC, and the JHU, I say!
September 9th, 2012 at 4:16 pm
Ananda,
I agree. They should be banned except for JHU.
JHU is NOT a communal party. Jathika = national. Hela = SL. Urumaya = Heritage. There is nothing communal about it.
I only copied what a TNA terrorist by the name Premachandran said.
“Kingmaking minority communal parties usually demand concessions that widen divisions in the social fabric and threaten the integrity of the nation. I recall how the TC and FP Tamil parties played that role in the past.”
Absolutely. They ALWAYS do that.
But who can stop if UNP holds secret talks with TNA?
Remember at the presidential elections SLMC and TNA supported UNP? They are at it again.
I hope the president has the backbone to ban all communal parties.
September 9th, 2012 at 6:39 pm
13A has very successfully Balkanized the Eastern Province.
Ethnic segregation is worse than ever.
If ITAK is to remain, the most sensible thing for the government to do is to join with SLMC and appoint a Muslim Chief Minister. SLMC is part of the government at national level. UPFA has very few Tamil elected candidates. A Sinhalese tops the UPFA preference votes. Former LTTE commander Chief Minister is now very unpopular among all groups in the East. Retaining him is similar to retaining Ranil as UNP leader; a sure plan for disaster.
ITAK’s total votes of 31% is 76% of the total Tamil population percentage of the province of around 41% (2007). Clearly Tamils have rejected UPFA.
Sinhalese and Muslims have not. Only 56% of Muslims voted for SLMC.
It is upto the government to invest its political capital in Sinhalese and Muslims or waste on Tamils. This is the hard choice. Sinhalese and Muslim votes cannot be taken for granted as can be seen from the results. Daya Gamage of UNP is the most popular Sinhala politician. This is the last warning the government gets from Eastern Sinhala and Muslim voters before an outright rejection at the next national election. As can be seen Muslims and Sinhalese have banded together than Tamils.
Unless a stable provincial administration is set up, ITAK will topple it at the most opportune time forcing fresh elections where they will grab power. Therefore it is essential the ruling party obtains a clear working majority. UNP with just 4 seats only marginally provides that majority. Besides, at the next national election they will surely leave which will be a huge poltiical disaster for the UPFA.
There is no choice than to join with SLMC.
However, the over confident government with shameless Indian patronage is unlikely to take the right decision.
September 9th, 2012 at 6:50 pm
The best choice is to revoke 13A. However, it is not likely to happen. Hence, sub standard choices to minimise the political fallout.
Government has withheld the release of total preference lists and the appointees for the 2 bonus seats. That will be another horse trading act. Hopefully it will pass without violence or ‘Hartal’.
September 10th, 2012 at 11:46 am
May we be delivered from these senseless diversities in politics in Sri Lanka which lead to waste of time, energy and money. O ! for a National government !