Former Deputy Mayor of Colombo Azath Salley today claimed that the government is afraid of the UNP leadership and challenged President Mahinda Rajapaksa to debate with Opposition leader Ranil Wickramasinghe.

 Salley, who contested for the Central Provincial Council and received the highest preference votes from the UNP in the Kandy District, charged that government did not win the provincial councils in a free and fair election.

He alleged that a large number of vehicles without number plates roamed the streets of the hill capital thought the election period and that the IGP and Elections Commissioner were unable to lift a finger.

The National Unity Alliance General Secretary also accused state media of acting in a biased manner towards the ruling party.

On the newly-formed Democratic Party, Salley stated that Sarath Fonseka’s party was able to obtain the third place in the election race with the votes of UNP supporters.

He stated that Fonseka cannot compete with Ranil Wickramasinghe and that the former Army Commander, when he contested the 2010 election, was unable to even obtain the number of votes the UNP leader had garnered at the 2005 Presidential Election.  

He stated that putting Sarath Fonseka forward to contest the 2010 Presidential Election as the common candidate was a “mistake” by the United National Party (UNP).

Azath Salley also accused Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) leader Rauf Hakeem of lying and deceiving the people of the Eastern Province to gain their vote and “lean on the government” again.

Former High Court Judge W.T.M.P.B. Warawewa, who also addressed the press briefing, stated that the election had been extremely corrupted and that the UPFA misused state resources and authority to win.