Interpreting the results of Saturday’s Provincial Council Elections as a message given by the people for all opposition parties to form an alliance, the main opposition United National Party (UNP) today said it was ready to talk with any political party that was ready to topple this regime.
UNP Leadership Council spokesman Kabir Hashim who came out with this reading on the Southern and Western Provincial Council election a told a news conference that the people had given a green light for a regime change (Bala Peraliyata Kola Eliyak) said more than 40 per cent had voted for the opposition while 35 per cent had abstained from voting at this election.
In this situation he said it could be said that 75 per cent of the voters had rejected the government. “One could say that 75 per cent of the voters in the Western and Southern provinces have rejected the government if the theory of External Affairs Minister G. L. Peiris is applied,” he said recalling the statement made by the Minister who said 24 member states of the UNHRC had rejected the US sponsored resolution when taking account of the nations which abstained from voting.
Mr. Hashim said the UNP will not have a grudge against the small opposition parties who obtained a considerable amount of votes but hoped that they got more votes in the future.
Responding to a question raised by journalists on the role played by UNP Hambantota District MP Sajith Premadasa, Mr. Hashim said Mr. Premadasa had done a good job though he did not participate in the Leadership Council.
He further said the UNP too would be diligent when it came to re-organisation of the party, adding that the Council would focus on strengthening the unity of the party further in the future. (YP)
Source: Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka)
