Sandun A Jayasekera Courtesy The Daily Mirror

The possibility is that the SLFP would join with the SLPP to establish the administration of any local government body in the event the SLFP coming first but short of an absolute majority on the result of the LG polls, a senior Cabinet Minister said today.

Science, Technology and Research Minister Susil Premajayantha said joining with the SLPP or ‘pohottuwa’ party or any other political party affiliated to the SLPP coalition or the UPFA was much easier and comfortable than joining with any other rival party to come to power in a local government body as they are family members of the SLFP though at some times had differences of ideas and policies.

Addressing the weekly SLFP news briefing at the party office yesterday (27) Minister Premajayantha said all candidates contesting the LG polls from the SLFP under the hand symbol or from the UPFA under the betel leaf symbol must give a pledge not to resort to any kind of corruption, thuggery or misrule as a candidate after the poll.

We, the SLFP will not have any problem to obtain a working majority in any local government body if we join either with the Communist Party (CPSL) Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC) or National Congress. So it is highly possible that we form administration in a majority of LG bodies on the result of the February 10 election,” Minister Premajayantha stressed.

Leaders and agents of 22 political parties affiliated to the UPFA and contest LG polls under the betel leaf symbol have been summoned to the BMICH on Thursday (today) and all of them are expected to give a pledge that their election campaign will be free of violence and fully adhered to the election law. They also vow that they will not abuse their office and will not use State property for their advantage once elected,” Minister Premajayantha said.

Tomorrow (29) all candidates of the UPFA and SLFP numbering nearly 9,000 who contest for all 341 LG bodies will gather at the Sugathadasa indoor stadium to give the same pledge and ensure a clean and corruption free administration in grass root level as members, deputy mayors or mayors. Both meetings will be chaired by party leader, President Maithripala Sirisena.

Minister Premajayantha, who is also a senior deputy President of the SLFP said it will be a great mistake if someone thinks that a political party could win the LG polls by dividing the SLFP and added when all anti capitalist forces are united, it will be a great force.

He said under President Sirisena, the SLFP has brought minority communities under the hand symbol and the SLFP was contesting for 20 local government bodies in Jaffna alone fielding 453 Tamil candidates.