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AKD: NPP confident of winning any election

By Saman Indrajith
JVP/NPP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake yesterday said that victory was assured for his party in any forthcoming election as they had won support, trust and confidence of more than 51 percent of the electors throughout the country.
Dissanayake addressed two May Day rallies of the JVP/NPP in Matara and Colombo. He said: “Our enemies mocked us saying that converting three percent of popularity into 51 percent would be a miracle. That miracle has been achieved. Mustering the trust of more than 51 percent of electors for the NPP no longer is a magic or miracle. It has become a ground reality.
“This is the last May Day we mark under these rulers who ruined this nation. The next May Day will be held under an NPP government. Victory is assured for our party. We must work harder for the next three months to realize our goal for our own government.”
“Today, we have hundreds of thousands of people attending our four May Day rallies in Jaffna, Anuradhapura, Matara and Colombo. We sought government permission to hold the May Day rally in Galle Face. They did not give us Galle Face thinking that our gathering would outscore them. At the end they gave us a road, the CWW Kannangara Mawatha – as the venue.
Thereafter we decided to hold the May Day rally in four places. In a way their depriving us of the Galle Face worked better for our members so that they could attend rallies in a nearby major city instead of coming to Colombo.
“More than 90 percent of them are those who had joined us recently from other parties. The rest are those who have been with us all throughout. There are some who have been attending all our May Day rallies since the JVP resumed marking the May Day in 1995 with public rallies. In NPP we would treat all of them equally.
In addition to those attending our rallies, a similar number or more than that are watching us online in this country or abroad. Not only our supporters but also our enemies are watching our rallies to find mistakes or fault with us.
We have a challenge before us to lead the popularity to the successful end of election victory. In that regard we must take extra precautions to avoid mistakes and not allow any room for negligence. All we need is to work harder than ever in the coming three months. We have the discipline required for the task. We are the only political party with discipline required to bring in changes necessary for the development and betterment of this country.
Ranil Wickremesinghe and his UNP does not have that discipline. His Tourism Minister Harin Fernando had promised 10 bottles of liquor for every bus transporting UNP supporters to today’s rally of theirs. Ranil could not even find Lankan artistes to sing at the UNP May Day rally today and had to import singers from India. It seems when it comes to the election he would have to bring voters, too, from India.
Sajith Premadasa and his SJB cannot ensure positive change. He has no other line these days than going around talking about a debate with us. Finally, we gave him four days prior to May 15 for the debate. He has responded that he is busy on all those four days. Thereafter we conveyed to his party that we are ready for the debate on any day by May 20. Any day of his preference we can participate in the debate. We will cure his problems for good in that debate to be held by May 20. Even if he does not come forward by May 20, we’ll make sure his brand of politics ends after that day,” Dissanayake said.
News
Presidential secretariat launches initiative to install sanitation facilities at fuel stations under “Clean Sri Lanka”

In a landmark move to promote public hygiene and accessibility, the Government on Wednesday (14) launched a national-level initiative to install modern sanitation facilities at fuel stations across the country under the “Clean Sri Lanka” programme.
The official launch was held at the Presidential Secretariat, with the participation of top government officials and key industry stakeholders.
The initiative aims to transform fuel stations into clean, safe and inclusive spaces by providing essential sanitation infrastructure accessible to all segments of the public, particularly women, children, the elderly and people with disabilities.
An MoU was signed between the Presidential Task Force on Clean Sri Lanka, the Ministry of Energy and the island’s four major fuel providers: Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC), Lanka IOC PLC (LIOC), Sinopec Energy Lanka (Pvt) Ltd and RM Parks (Pvt) Ltd.
Under the three-year programme, 540 modern public sanitation facilities will be established at selected fuel stations islandwide. The timeline for rollout is as follows:
Company | 2025 | 2026 | 2027 |
---|---|---|---|
CPC | 25 | 50 | 50 |
LIOC | 25 | 50 | 40 |
Sinopec | 25 | 50 | 75 |
RM Parks | 25 | 50 | 75 |
Total | 100 | 200 | 240 |
By the end of 2025, at least 100 of these facilities are expected to be operational, providing clean and user-friendly amenities to travellers across the country.
Speaking at the event, Secretary to the President Dr Nandika Sanath Kumanayake stated, “This is not just a policy commitment but a promise to build a healthier, cleaner and more dignified Sri Lanka. The Clean Sri Lanka initiative seeks to deliver long-term public services that meet modern hygiene standards.” He also highlighted that this partnership between the public and private sectors sets an example for delivering effective and sustainable services. Plans are in place to encourage further participation from large-scale private sector entities, such as retail chains, to extend the reach and impact of the programme.
The event was attended by Secretary to the Ministry of Energy, Prof. Udayanga Hemapala; Senior Additional Secretary to the President, Russell Aponsu; senior executives from the four fuel providers; and officials from the Clean Sri Lanka Presidential Task Force.
News
Financial assistance from the President’s Fund for next of kin of victims of the Kotmale bus accident disbursed through Divisional Secretariats

On the instructions of President Anura Kumara Disanayake, the funds allocated from the President’s Fund for those who lost their lives in the recent bus accident in the Garandiella area, Kotmale have now been forwarded to the relevant Divisional Secretariats.
Accordingly, a sum of Rs. 1 million will be provided to the next of kin of each individual whose life was lost in the accident, and the funds will be handed over to their respective family members.
These funds have been released to the Divisional Secretariats of the following areas—Tissamaharama, Lunugamvehera, Welimada, Haldummulla, Ella, Kundasale, Bamunakotuwa, Paduwasnuwara West, Polpithigama, Wanathawilluwa, Chilaw, Buttala, Thanamalwila, Wellawaya, Kanthale and Rambewa where the 22 individuals who lost their lives in the accident were residents.
News
USD 6.9 mn loss due to fertiliser imports: Mahindananda seeks anticipatory bail

Shasheendra, too, is to be questioned soon
Former Agriculture Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage has filed an anticipatory bail application in the Fort Magistrate’s court in a bid to prevent the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) from taking him into custody in connection with the ongoing investigation into the importation of a stock of allegedly substandard organic fertiliser from China during Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s presidency.
Colombo Chief Magistrate Thanuja Lakmali has asked the CIABOCt to present its position regarding the issue at hand to the court on May 19.
The CIABOC has asserted that the transaction caused Sri Lanka a loss of USD 6.9 mn.
The CIABOC arrested former Additional Secretary (Development) to the State Ministry of Agriculture, Mahesh Gammanpila on April 28, 2025, over his role in the deal with China’s Qingdao Seawin Biotech in 2021.
At the time Mahesh Gammanpila served as the Secretary to the State Ministry of Agriculture, Shasheendra Rajapaksa had been its Minister. Gammanpila is the current Chief Secretary of the Uva Provincial Council.
Aluthgamage had been the Cabinet Minister at the time the government finalised the questionable deal with the Chinese company.
CIABOC, on May 5, told court that the investigations were continuing and the ministers who decided on the importation of fertiliser from China, too, would be arrested and produced in court.
According to the CIABOC website, Mahesh Gammanpila has caused approximately USD 6.9 million loss to the government by issuing orders to open the suspended Letters of Credit to import the substandard organic fertiliser consignment from Qingdao Seawin Biotech, China, in 2021.
Although Fort Magistrate granted bail to Gammanpila on May 5, he continued to be in remand as he couldn’t meet the bail conditions. The court has also imposed a travel ban on him. (SF)
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