Rajapaksa calls to dissolve the government

The People’s Front, which is known as the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) has been able to secure 239 councils while Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghe’s party, the United National Party (UNP) won 41 councils and the United People’s Freedom Alliance led by President Maithiripala Sirisena got only 11 councils. The Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (ITAK) won 34 councils in the Northern parts of the country.

Being the most peaceful elections in decades according to the poll monitoring groups, in the local government polls held on Sunday people have voted not only to mend their drainage systems and getting new street lights but to teach the ruling united government, which has shown shaky in their decisions, a lesson.

In a statement, Rajapaksa requested all those contested under his party to celebrate the hard-won victory peacefully and with restraint and in a manner that would not inconvenience the defeated side.

At a press conference held today in Colombo he called on the government to declare a General Election to end the present political instability in the country.

SLPP spokesman and the Chairman Prof. G. L. Peiris told the reporters that Rajapaksa’s victory was proof that people of Sri Lanka have lost faith in the ruling party.

"This was a referendum on the government. It has no legal or democratic right to remain in power," he said.

Rajapaksa said on his Facebook:  “The victory is a clear indication that Sri Lankans are fed up of inaction and want to rebuild Sri Lanka,”.

Meanwhile, Sirisena, who held an urgently called meeting with his ministers soon after declaring the final vote counting, informed them that he would bring some changes in the government.

“I take full responsibility for the SLFP’s electoral setback. The people of the country have voted for a change,” he had told the ministers adding that he would bring required changes soon.

UNP General Secretary Kabir Hashim said that UNP would analyze the election results and would carry out government’s services and duties more diligently and speedily.

He said in a statement that the people had shown the UNP a danger signal and would continue its struggle against corruption.

However, the party informed sources told the India Blooms that majority of young parliamentarians have started an internal campaign to change the leadership of the party with the humiliating loss at the local government polls held yesterday.

(Reporting by Shanika Sriyananda)