The maiden JVP rally organized in support of the candidacy of Gen. Sarath Fonseka in Nugegoda had run into trouble since the Kotte Municipal Council has suddenly declined to release the ground selected for the purpose after granting permission for the rally.

The rally has been scheduled for November 30, 2009.

JVP MP Vijitha Herath told Daily Mirror yesterday that the Municipal Council had given them permission to conduct the rally at this venue in Nugegoda earlier.

“Suddenly, we have been informed that the ground can not be released. We have already planned everything for the rally.  There is no right for the Municipal Council to do so,” Mr. Herath said.  

He said that his party had organised this public rally against what he termed as dictatorship, nepotism and power hunger.  

“This is a public meeting in view of the presidential election campaign.  In fact, it can be cited as the first election propaganda rally for Gen. Fonseka,” he said. 

The Democratic People’s Front (DPF) Leader Mano Ganesan met former  Chief of Defence Staff, General Sarath Fonseka - who is tipped to be the common opposition candidate - last evening to discuss about supporting him at the upcoming presidential election.

DPF Leader who was at a cultural event last evening was reported to have rushed to a five-star hotel in Colombo to meet him.

The meeting was going on at the time this ediion went to press. According to sources the two had agreed on certain points regarding the minorities and there were some more issues to be agreed upon.

The general had reportedly assured that he would ensure the rights of the minorities if elected as president.

Sources also said that Mr. Ganesan would brief the DPF politburo members of the outcome of the meeting when they meet today.

The final decision such as backing General Foneseka or any other candidate would be decided at this meeting.

Sources said the Lalith Front, though a registered party, had not contested elections for a long time and was willing to provide Fonseka with a forum to contest the presidency. "There will be no problem in changing the party’s name or symbol," they said.

The joint Opposition, which is backing Fonseka as the ‘Common Candidate’, was exploring the possibility of using the ‘Rising Sun’ as its symbol, which belongs to the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF).

Discussions were held with TULF leader V. Anandasangaree on his party giving up its symbol, but there had been no positive response so far, sources said.

Meanwhile Fonseka has told the UNP National Organiser S. B. Dissanayake, who met him on Tuesday, that he welcomed Dissanayake’s support, but expected the UNP as a whole to help him re-establish democracy in the country.

Asked what the TNA’s stand on backing Fonseka was, UNF sources said that their stand would depend on a public declaration of his solution to the problems confronting the Tamil community.

Although the JVP had expressed its willingness to support UNP, their attempts to defeat the UPFA Government would be in vain, he said adding that the EPDP would soon issue a statement on why the Tamil community should support the UPFA Government.

He said the Tamil community was aware that Tamil liberation could be achieved only through democratic means and not through an armed struggle. The Tamil community had placed its trust and confidence in President Rajapaksa because it was he who took bold action to crush the LTTE.

The EPDP had carefully studied how the Government had served the Tamil community. The UPFA Government had done much work for Tamil community, especially in the rehabilitation and resettlement programmes, he said.

The Upcountry People’s Front (UPF) will support President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the forthcoming Presidential polls. Deputy Minister and Upcountry People’s Front Parliamentarian P. Radhakrishnan said Tamil people have placed their trust in President Mahinda Rajapaksa to find a reasonable solution to the problems they face. That is why, he added, that party had decided to support the President.

The Eastern Provincial Council is to discuss a motion on the resettlement of people from Eechlampattru in their own areas. They were displaced in 2006 during a tense situation and not allowed to go to their areas, instead were settled in the adjacent villages.

Nearly 200,000 persons in the upcountry are without National Identity Cards.

It is reported that mobile services had been only during election times. CNWC leader A Thangavelu, in his letter to the Registrar General of the Registration of Persons has requested to open a separate unit for planation workers and appoint experienced officers.

Tamil parties and their leaders who participated at a meeting in Switzerland said in a statement that all efforts will be made by them to find a political solution under one umbrella with the motto of Tamil Speaking People’s representations.

The government yesterday claimed that military commanders had never challenged their Commanders in Chief in Sri Lanka’s history and General Sarath Fonseka would never succeed in his attempt to replace President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the forthcoming Presidential Election as the former CDS did not have a proper CV to become the President.

Addressing the first Presidential Election-related news briefing at the Mahaweli Centre, SLFP General Secretary and Agriculture Minister Maithripala Sirisena in the government’s first response to General Fonseka’s candidacy said no one could compare the responsibilities and duties of a President with the duties of a head of a Rural Development Society, Buddhist Society or Sports Club. (Read More)

JVP parliamentary group leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake told a packed news conference that it decided on General Fonseka as a part of its objective to re-establish democracy in Sri Lanka.    (Read More)

The main opposition UNP said yesterday its negotiations with the JVP on the common candidate was successful and praised it for its role in working out a consensus among all opposition political parties on this vital issue.

UNP front-liner Lakshman Kiriella told a news conference it was essential for these parties to work together and make sacrifices if their objective was to be achieved.

“The UNP is also ready to make sacrifices for the sake of Sri Lanka and also to defeat this regime, which wasted two valuable years and much needed funds on holding elections on a staggered basis,” he said and denied that there were differences within the UNP on fielding a common candidate or on the symbol under which he would contest the presidential election. (Read More)