MP Joseph Michael Perera today alleged that the reason the government is grabbing UNP parliamentarians to its side, by promising them posts like Chief Minister, is because it knows the UPFA will lose the upcoming Provincial Council election.

He stated that something the UNP as an opposition party usually has to endure when facing an election against the ruling party is the lack of candidates. “But the specialty in this election is that we have too many candidates,” he said.

Perera stressed that the reason the government is able to continue forward today is because it took away several UNP members. “Whether they went for money or any other reason I’m not going to say. That’s left for the people to decide.”

He stated that similar situation is taking place for the North Western Provincial Council election, with former UNP MP Dayasiri Jayasekara joining the government.

They could have given him a top ministerial portfolio, but instead they are using him to win the Kurunegala District in the North Western Province by promising him the position of Chief Minister, he said, adding that this is the current state of the government.  

He inquired as to why the government needs UNP members. Pointing out that when Dayasiri Jayasekara speaks in parliament firebrand politician strongly criticizes the Mahinda Rajapaksa family and government corruption, Perera questioned: “why did the government choose a person like that as their Chief Ministerial candidate?”

 He claimed that the answer is that the government cannot win the Central or North Western Province in this election. “That is why they are short of people to contest,” the veteran UNP parliamentarian told reporter in Colombo today.

In order to cover-up the problems existing in the country they took a UNP MP to contest the North Western Province, he said.

He further said that the government has transformed the upcoming election in to a contest between the United National Party and the Sri Lanka Freedom Party.

 Dayasiri is going as a UNP member but on the other side the government’s very own ministers are among the forces trying to defeat him, he alleged, adding that Minister Johnston Fernando is one of them.

He said that Wayamba Province is dominated by powerful Sri Lanka Freedom Party seniors and that the the children of some prominent ministers have not been given nominations. “So they are talking to us, saying Mahinda Rajapaksa is going to protect some thieves.”

The Gampaha District parliamentarian further said that more members of the ruling party have already joined to the UNP than those who crossed over to the government.

He stated that several SLFP members have decided to contest under the UNP ticket and bring victory to the party and also many intelligent individuals such as lawyers and doctors are leaving their professions to contest the election.

While refusing to name anyone in particular as they are still with the government, Perera said that a Minister, several MPs and Provincial Councilors of the ruling party will be soon joining the UNP.