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UNP poised for a comeback
By Nirupama Subramanian
COLOMBO, DEC. 6. The United National Party (UNP) was today poised to make a comeback after a gap of seven years following its unassailable lead over the ruling People's Alliance (PA) in Sri Lanka's parliamentary election.
A decision by elections officials to withhold the results of several districts, till 8 a.m. on Friday and perhaps order repoll in some areas hit by violence, is unlikely to affect the overall outcome of an impressive win by the UNP.
All eyes are now on the President, Mrs. Chandrika Kumaratunga, the leader of the PA, who faces the challenge of co-existing with a UNP-majority Parliament for the remainder of her term, which runs till 2005.
Her decisions in the next few days could be crucial for determining if the country is headed for political reconciliation or an administrative deadlock and constitutional crisis.
With more than two-thirds of the ballots counted by late afternoon, the UNP-led United National Front (UNF) had 47.47 per cent of the votes with the PA trailing at just over 39 per cent.
The radical Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), projected as a potential ally of the PA, had 9.5 per cent, theoretically making it possible for the two to stake their claim to power. But as the day progressed, it was clear that the UNP would emerge as the strongest contender for forming the government.
The Elections Commissioner announced the withholding of results of nine districts out of 22 till Friday morning. Repolling in some electoral divisions is to be taken in consultation with representatives of parties on Friday.
The affected districts include Kandy and Kuruenegala, which saw violence and bloodshed on Wednesday, and the north-eastern districts of Jaffna, Batticaloa and Vanni, where a large number of voters were unable to exercise their franchise.
The development is not expected to alter the overall picture significantly. Of the 11 districts for which results have been declared, the UNP has won all but one, including traditional strongholds of the PA. The seat tally so far is 40 for the UNP, 28 for PA, four for JVP.
The UNP is leading in the other districts, raising hopes within the party that it would cruise to the magic number of 113 seats to win a simple majority in the 225-seat House.
This would be the first time since the Executive Presidency was introduced in 1978 in Sri Lanka that the President will be forced into co-habitation with an Opposition party holding a parliamentary majority.
Mrs. Kumaratunga, who had declared before the election that she would be unable to work with a UNP-led Parliament, now faces the near-certain task of inviting its leader and her arch foe, Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe, to form the new Government.
``We hope she will respond positively,'' said the UNP spokesman, Mr. Karunasena Kodituwakku, describing his party's victory as a ``turning point for the national unity and the economy'' of the country.
``This will be the beginning of a new era under the leadership of Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe,'' he said.
Signalling a mood of reconciliation, Mrs. Kumaratunga asked the people to ``accept victory and defeat with humility'', and appealed to all to act peacefully in a brief message that was read out on state-TV and radio.
The UNP's conduct would be equally crucial. The party has said a victory for it would automatically transform the all-powerful Executive Presidency into a largely ceremonial office like the French presidency.
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