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Sri Lanka’s Governing Party Claims Victory in Provincial Election Sri Lanka’s Governing Party Claims Victory in Provincial Election
(about 1 hour later)
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka — Sri Lanka’s governing party on Sunday declared victory in a provincial assembly election in the southeast, but its deflated performance compared with the outcome in the previous vote gave opposition lawmakers hope that they could defeat the president in national elections expected later this year or early next year. COLOMBO, Sri Lanka — Sri Lanka’s governing party declared victory Sunday in a provincial assembly election in the southeast, but its deflated performance compared with the outcome in the previous vote gave opposition lawmakers hope that they could defeat the president in national elections expected this year or early next year.
The governing United People’s Freedom Alliance won 51 percent of the vote and 19 seats on the Uva Provincial Council, down from 72 percent of the vote and 25 seats in 2009. The decline means that the governing party no longer holds a two-thirds majority in the provincial assembly. The governing United People’s Freedom Alliance won 51 percent of the vote and 19 seats on the Uva Provincial Council, down from 72 percent of the vote and 25 seats in 2009.
The United National Party, the country’s main opposition party, increased its vote share to 40 percent from 22 percent in 2009 and won 13 seats.The United National Party, the country’s main opposition party, increased its vote share to 40 percent from 22 percent in 2009 and won 13 seats.
Harin Fernando, the Uva chief ministerial candidate for the United National Party, said he was euphoric over the results despite his party’s defeat. Harin Fernando, the Uva chief ministerial candidate for the United National Party, said he was euphoric over the results despite his party’s defeat. “I will always be the people’s chief minister,” Mr. Fernando said.
“I will always be the people’s chief minister,” Mr. Fernando said. The United National Party released a statement hailing the results and saying the government of President Mahinda Rajapaksa should “start packing its bags.”
The United National Party released a statement hailing the results and saying that the government of President Mahinda Rajapaksa should “start packing its bags.”
But Susil Premajayantha, a government minister, said the results proved the government’s continued popularity. “The U.P.F.A. will have no problem winning at a national election,” Mr. Premajayantha said Sunday.But Susil Premajayantha, a government minister, said the results proved the government’s continued popularity. “The U.P.F.A. will have no problem winning at a national election,” Mr. Premajayantha said Sunday.
President Rajapaksa called his party’s performance in Uva a “spectacular victory” in a statement issued to the news media on Sunday. Mr. Rajapaksa called his party’s performance in Uva a “spectacular victory” in a statement issued on Sunday. “It is a mandate for the government to accelerate its massive development drive,” he said.
“It is a mandate for the government to accelerate its massive development drive,” Mr. Rajapaksa said. Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu, the executive director of the Center for Policy Alternatives, a nonprofit think tank in Colombo, Sri Lanka’s capital, said the Uva results were worrying for the governing party, and he predicted that the president would soon call a presidential election because of concerns that his support might be waning.
Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu, executive director of the Center for Policy Alternatives, a nonprofit think tank in Colombo, Sri Lanka’s capital, said the Uva results were worrying for the governing party, and he predicted that the president would soon call a presidential election because of concerns that his support might be waning.
“Waiting is not likely to be to his advantage,” Mr. Saravanamuttu said.“Waiting is not likely to be to his advantage,” Mr. Saravanamuttu said.