Appointment of NPP MPs to next Parliament:

MEP leader and former Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena said that the electorate had a right to know how the NPP intended to appoint its MPs on the district basis under the Proportional Representation system and from the National List.

Gunawardena said so over the weekend in response to a query posed by The Island. He said the NPP and JVP could be taking contradictory positions on this issue as the latter repeatedly assured the electorate over the years that they wouldn’t promote preferential votes or manape.

Addressing an election rally in Matara, Dinesh Gunawardena asked whose methodology the NPP would adopt where the selection of the NPP MPs for the next Parliament was concerned. “Will it be JVP General Secretary Tilvin Silva’s or NPP Secretary Dr. Nihal Abeysinghe’s?” he asked.

Gunawardena said Tilvin

Silva for the last 25 years had sent names chosen by the party as MPs, not necessarily on the basis of manape. That method had been extended to the National List too, Gunawardena said.

Dr. Abeysinghe is contesting from the Kalutara district on the NPP ticket. Addressing a public rally at Matara, Gunawardena said one-time Auditor General S.C. Mayadunne had once been compelled to

resign as a National List MP after being in parliament for a day or two to enable the JVP to appoint its stalwart Sunil Handunnetti to Parliament via the National List.

New Democratic Front (NDF) main rally held in Matara was also attended by former President Ranil Wickremesinghe, former Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, former Minister Kanchana Wijesekara, former MP Yadamini Gunawardena, all candidates contesting under ‘Gas Cylinder’ symbol, former representatives of provincial council, local government institutions.

NDF contestants consist mainly of an influential breakaway faction of the SLPP and the UNP that supported Ranil Wickremesinghe’s candidature in the last presidential poll. Wickremesinghe polled 2.2 million votes and was placed.

The MEP leader, who heads the NDF’s NL, said that the NDF had the most experienced contestants and was confident that the electorate would consider them. (SF)