The National Freedom Front (NFF) has accused a section of the SLFP of targeting its Nuwara Eliya District candidate Nimal Piyatissa and his supporters.

NFF sources told The Island that a gang of SLFP supporters had stormed Piyatissa’s main campaign office at Walapane last Friday (Feb 26), the final day to hand over nominations. Sources said the gang had warned Piyatissa that he should be ready to face the consequences unless he stopped political activity in the electorate.

Sources said that SLFP supporters had been upset by the NFF organising a vehicle parade on its own in the area.

The attack came a day before UPFA candidates contesting the April 8 General Election, at a ceremony held at Jayasirimahabodiya, pledged not to engage in violence. Two weeks ago, SLFP General Secretary Minister Maithripala Sirisena said that those who caused trouble would be denied ministerial portfolios.

Sources said that a brother-in-law of a minister had led the attack and the police had failed to apprehend the chief suspect, though the NFF leadership made representations to police top brass.

Piyatissa, who held the Agriculture portfolio in the UPFA-run Central Provincial Council, gave it up to contest the forthcoming parliamentary elections on the UPFA ticket. Piyatissa is among 16 NFF candidates in the fray in 15 districts.

The NFF acknowledged that they were deprived of an opportunity to field a candidate from the Digamadulla electorate. Sources said that the party felt that their nominee Anura Munasinghe had a chance in Digamadulla. Initially the NFF called for 19 slots on district lists and two on the National List.

Sources said that the NFF would launch a protest campaign unless immediate action was taken to apprehend persons involved in the Walapane attack.