UNP sources told The Island that the party had to take this decision to prevent crossovers. The UNP lost over two dozen MPs to the UPFA after the last parliamentary polls due to crossovers.

Colombo District UNP leader Ravi Karunanayake revealed the party decision at a recent propaganda rally in Kosgama. He said that the party would give nominations only to those who had provided affidavits before signing the nomination papers.

The UNF comprises the UNP, SLMC of Rauff Hakeem, Western Democratic People’s Front of Mano Ganeshan Mangala Samaraweera’s SLFP (M) and 12 other small parties.

Karunanayake told The Island that the affidavits had been requested from all candidates of the UNF to ensure that the people had confidence in them, he said. If they failed to sign the affidavits, they would be denied nominations, he said.

UNF Leader Ranil Wickremasinghe failed in a final attempt to forge an alliance with General (Rtd) Sarath Fonseka with the former Army Commander and CDS submitting nominations as leader of the Democratic National Alliance (DNA), of which the JVP is the major party to contest the April 08 polls in Colombo under the Trophy symbol.

Requests were made by the UNF leadership to General Fonseka to contest under the Elephant symbol, but to no avail.

The UNF will contest in all 22 districts.

The JVP, too, declined to contest under the UNF’s Elephant symbol.

Courtesy: Island