a Resounding victory for UPFA

UNP improves vote base; TNA dominates North

Daily Mirror -  By Sandun A. Jayasekera and Kelum Bandara

As expected the ruling United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) emerged as the clear winner at Thursday’s local council polls winning 205 local councils with more than 55 per cent of the valid votes cast while the main opposition United National Party (UNP) won nine local councils with 33.86 per cent of the votes.

The total number of local councils at stake was 234.

Th Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) that had emerged as a third force in local politics failed to win a single local council and even lost its traditional stronghold of Tissamaharama Pradeshiya Sabha where it was relegated to third place.

Despite its weak overall results the UNP won the Pradeshiya Sabahs of Passara, Lahugala, Patha Hewaheta and Urban Councils of Gampola, Kalutara, Kadugannawa, Kuliyapitiya and Seethawakapura and the Bandarawela Municipal Council.

The JVP which was the dominant left-leaning political party in the country for the past few decades wining 39 parliamentary seats at the 2004 general election only obtained 3.15 per cent of the votes cast.

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