Speaking to The Island, the newly appointed Education and Cultural Affairs, Food Supply and Distribution, Trade and Co-operative Affairs Minister V. K. Indika, representing the Hambantota District, said that he has topped the Hambantota UPFA list polling the highest percentage of preferential votes in the entire Southern Province, but the government did not offer him the Chief Ministership.

Indika said he has secured the highest percentage of preferential votes among his fellow party candidates who vied for the CM post. He bagged 56,855 preferential votes which was 29.46 per cent, while the party had received 192,961 votes from the Hambantota District. Shan Wijelal de Silva, the Chief Minister has obtained 92,292 preferential votes from Galle District and per centagewise, it was 26.07. Matara District UPFA team leader Hemal Gunasekara received 63,323 votes which was only 24.63 per cent of the 257,110 votes polled from the district.

"This time I was the team leader from Hambantota District and my people had voted for me to become the CM, a post that had not been given to the Hambantota District since the formation of the Southern Provincial Council. However, I received a ministerial portfolio with only three subjects.

Matara District UPFA leader for the SPC polls, Hemal Gunasekera who was also an aspirant for the CM post, said President Rajapaksa promised him the CM post. But finally the government decided to appoint him to Parliament succeeding Presidential Advisor Basil Rajapaksa. But, finally I was appointed a provincial minister.

"However, I feel that this is not the correct time for Mr. Basil Rajapaksa to resign his Parliamentary seat. I respect President Rajapaksa’s decision," Gunasekera said.

Minister of Health and Indigenous Medicine of the previous Council A. G. C. Piyasiri who is representing the Communist Party of Sri Lanka while contesting on UPFA ticket from Galle District, did not receive any portfolio. Hundreds of his party supporters held a protest in Galle town demanding a ministerial portfolio for him.

But the government offered the portfolio to Matara District Councillor Wijaya Bindu Weerasinghe of the Communist Party. He was appointed Minister of Agriculture and Agrarian Services, Animal Husbandry and Development, Fisheries and Environment.

Controversial SPC councillor Nishantha Muthugettigama, who was elected to the Council and secured third place among those elected, failed to attend the swearing in ceremony at the Presidential Secretariat. He left the country as he was not given the post of chief minister as promised, he said.

However, Muthuhettigama returned and took oaths before an astrologer and Justice of the Peace Sumanadasa Abeygunawardena.

The oldest member of the Cabinet of the SPC, U. G. D. Ariyathilaka was appointed Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs, Rural Industries and Rural Development, Tourism and Economic Development, Social Welfare, Probation and Child protection, Women’s affairs, Housing and Construction, Manpower and Employment.

Chief Minister Shan Wijelal de Silva holds the portfolios of Finance and Planning, Law and Order, Transport, Water Supply and Drainage, Electricity, Engineering Services, Health, Indigenous Medicine and local government further to the CM post.