Former DIG declines to contest election

Former Senior DIG, Sirisena Herath had declined to accept the request by UNP to contest the forthcoming elections to the North Central or Sabaragamuwa Provincial Councils.

The UNP had earlier decided to field him as a candidate for the election, representing the Anuradhapura District. Informed sources said yesterday Mr. Herath had refused to accept the party’s request since he was not made the chief ministerial candidate for either council.

For the North Central Provincial Council, the UNP has now decided to nominate retired Major General, Janaka Perera and popular Sinhala language literature tutor, Upul Santha Sannasgala for the Sabaragamuwa Province as the chief ministerial candidate.


In the meantime, former DIG, Gamini Randeniya had also agreed to contest the poll on the UNP ticket.

Asked for reasons not to join the fray, Mr. Herath, however, said this was not the right time for him to make such a decision. He said he was under pressure from people and well wishers in his native village in Anuradhapura and Ratnapura where he worked for ten years, to be a candidate of this election.

“I have a ten-year work experience in Ratnapura. So, people even requested me to become the chief ministerial candidate for Sabaragamuwa. But, I declined to accept it since this is not the appropriate time. However, I will continue to do my social services,” he said.

Meanwhile, the UNP has started a series of pocket meetings in the four districts where the elections are to be conducted. National Organiser, S.B. Dissanayake addressed four such rallies in Polonnaruwa yesterday.