National List tussle getting hotter

With no official word on the meeting between United National Party (UNP) leader Ranil Wickremesinghe and President Mahinda Rajapaksa last morning, and the re-poll results of the Kandyand Trincomalee districts out, the tussle for the National List members have reached boiling point.

While the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) which has received a near two thirds majority in Parliament, has somewhat of a lesser headache for National List contenders, the UNP is faced with stiff competition. Several senior UNPers who were defeated at the general elections are said to be canvassing themselves to enter the House from the National List.

However, according to party sources, UNP seniors who had met to decide the allocation of National List seats have reportedly decided not to give in to a request by Ape Jathika Peramuna or SLFP (M) Wing leader Mangala Samaraweera for a slot to accommodate his trusted lieutenant Ruwan Ferdinandez to Parliament through the United National Front (UNF) of which the UNP is the major partner. Likewise, the UNP is reported to have declined a request by Democratic People’s Front (DPF) leader Mano Ganeshan to accommodate him. The DPF is also a constituent partner in the UNF.

But according to the same sources, the UNP has agreed to grant one slot to the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) headed by Rauff Hakeem.

Meanwhile the Democratic National Alliance of General (retired) Sarath Fonseka is considering the names of Anura Kumara Dissanayake and Tiran Alles for its possible two National List slots while discarding JVP trade unionist Lal Kantha who failed to bag a seat from the Anuradhapura district at the general elections.

Tiran Alles is reportedly a financier of the DNA and he supported Gen. Fonseka at the Presidential poll, while Mano Ganeshan who was with the retired General during the Presidential poll decided to go along with the UNP under the UNF for the general elections.