Hirunika Premachandra, daughter of slain former UPFA Parliamentarian for the Kolonnawa Electorate Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra has been appointed by President Mahinda Rajapaksa the Colombo Central SLFP Organiser and will contest the Western Provincial Council Election scheduled for March on the UPFA ticket.

SLFP sources told The Island that President Rajapaksa had taken that decision after discussions with Hirunika, who was dilly dallying over entering politics, but said that she would follow her father’s principles. President Rajapaksa met her yesterday morning at Temple Trees.

Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra was killed in an intra party confrontation during the 2012 Local Government Elections at Kolonnawa. At the time of his death, Bharatha was an adviser to President Rajapaksa on trade union affairs. He was killed during a clash with Parliamentarian Duminda Silva and his supporters, in which Silva, too, received at least two bullets to his head.

She said that she was getting the backing of the Kolonnawa voters who would assist her fully and was optimistic about doing well in Colombo Central at the Western Provincial Council Elections.

By Lal Gunasekera
Source: The Islands (Sri Lanka)