Matale frontrunners

Rasika Somarathna

The front runners for the battle for ‘manape’ in the Matale district, has emerged from political families in the area.

Pramitha, the son of Provincial Councils and Local Government Minister Janaka Bandara Tennakoon has topped the UPFA preferential list with 49,665 votes. Former Minister Alick Aluvihare’s son Wasantha (28,555) has emerged as number one in the UNP ranks.

Former PA Minister Nandimithra Ekanayaka (35,995) has been placed second in the UPFA list while former UNP MP Sanjeewa Kaviratna (15,845) is placed second in the UNP list.

The UPFA obtained seven seats in Matale and the UNP three. In the Kandy district the two Chief Ministerial nominees by UPFA and UNP for the Central provincial Council has topped the preferential vote count.

The former Chief Minister of Central Province, Sarath Ekanayake has topped the UPFA preference list with 99,932 and former Minister S.B. Dissanayake has topped the UNP nominees by obtaining 181,783 votes.

In the UPFA list Dilum Amunugama, nephew of Minister Dr. Sarath Amunugama has obtained second place with 77,172 preference votes and the next of kin of another politician Lohan Ratwatte (70,372), son of former Defence Minister Anuruddha Ratwatte has got the third place.

The UPFA has 18 seats in Kandy and the UNP 12.

The top slot in the UPFA ‘manape’ list in the Nuwaraeliya district has been clinched by Saliya Bandara Dissnayake (39,005), as his brother topped the UNP ‘manape’ in the Kandy district.

Minister C.B. Ratnayake’s brother, S.B. Ratnayake grabbed the second spot with 30,114 votes. UNP’s seven member elected group is led by Allagan Tithambaram (45,229).The UPFA has nine seats in Nuwaraeliya and the UNP has got seven.

Most popular in Wayamba

Chaminda Perera

Former North Western Chief Minister Athula Wijesinghe secured the highest preferential votes (90, 295) at the North Western Provincial Council election.

He entered the political arena representing the Kuliyapitiya electorate. Wijesinghe in his capacity as the Chief Minister launched various programs aimed at alleviating poverty in the province.

Wijesinghe also received the highest number of postal votes in the North Western Province. Nikaweratiya SLFP chief organiser and Laksala Chairman Soma Kumari Tennokoon secured the second place by gaining over 67,998 votes.

She was in the forefront in the program to boost the local handicraft industry and launched several programs in the Nikaweratiya electorate for the benefit of women.

Tennakoon was behind the SLFP’s victory in the Nikaweratiya electorate. She represented the last Provincial Council as a member from Nikaweratiya.

K.M. Shantha Bandara who garnered 61,865 preferential votes is a former Provincial Councillor and the SLFP chief organiser for Dambadeniya electorate. Bandara obtained 2,167 votes at the 97 Local Government election and entered the Alawwa Pradeshiya Sabha as a member.

He garnered the highest number of preferential voters at the 2002 Local Government election and became the Opposition Leader of the Alawwa Pradeshiya Sabha.

Bandara secured the second place in the postal votes at the North Western Provincial election.

Chandana Prasad Yapa , brother of Media and Information Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa in his debut appearance at the North Western Provincial election got 59,500 votes.

A lawyer by profession, Chandana Yapa entered the fray from Katugampola electorate. He is the grand son of former Education and Cultural Affairs Minister I.M.R. Irriyagolla during the Dudley Senanayake Government between 1965 - 65.

Former Provincial Minister Neranjan Wickremesinghe obtained 56,768 votes and has been placed fifth. Wickremesinghe is the SLFP chief organiser for Mawathagama.

He was the Indigenous Medicine, Sports and Youth Affairs Minister of North Western Province for two terms.

Former Lands, Agriculture and Livestock Minister R.D. Wimaladasa obtained 54,380 votes while Piyomal Herath securing 49,848 preferential votes.

Hearath is the son of Minister Jayaratne Herath who entered Parliament from the Kurunegala district. Former Provincial Councillor Shamal Senarath who contested the election under the UNP ticket received 40,429 votes. He is the UNP chief organizer for Dambadeniya.