Election winners with political relationships

18 sons and wives 'cross the river' .... from PC elections

     It is reported that 18 sons of politicians, wives and relations from among 23 who contested from various political parties for the provincial council elections managed to record victories. Most of the winning candidates on this occasion happened to be from the mainline Parties such as the UPFA and UNP.

   While Pramitha Bandara Tennekoon, son of Mr. Janaka Bandara Tennekoon, Minister of Lands and Development was able to get the highest number of preferential votes in the district of Matale while Mr. Thilina Bandara Tennekoon a cousin of the Minister contesting on the UNP ticket was lucky enough to be chosen from the district of Kandy.

  Mr. Chintaka Ekanayaka, son of Deputy Minister Nandhimithra Ekanayaka was chosen for the Matale district from the UPFA. Former Chief Minister Mr. Sarath Ekanayaka, a brother of the Deputy Minister was chosen as the second in the list from the UPFA for the Kandy district.

 Mr. Anuruddha Jayaratne, son of Prime Minister Mr. D.M. Jayaratne was chosen for the Kandy district seat obtaining the highest number of preferential votes in Kandy. Piyumal Herat, son of Deputy Minister Jayaratna Herath; Johan Fernando, son of Minister Mr. Johnston Fernando; Manjula Dissanayaka, wife of Minister Kalinga Dissanayaka and Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa's brother Chandana Yapa were elected to the Kurunegala seat from the UPFA.

 Parakrama Dissanayaka, cousin brother of Deputy Minister Minister Mr. Rohana Dissanayaka from Matale district; Sumal tissera, a son by relationship to Minister Mr. Dayashritha from Puttalam district; Mr. Ediriweera Weerawardena from Kandy were chosen this time from the UPFA ticket.

 In the process, Asanka Perera, son of the President of the UNP Mr. Gamini Jayawickrema Perera from Kurunegala; Mr.Ranjith Aluvihare, brother of member of parliament for UNP, Mr. Vasantha Aluvihara for Matale district and Mr. Mayantha Dissanayaka, brother of Minister Navin Dissanaike from Kandy were the other victorious candidates.

 Though Saliya Bandara Dissanaike, brother of Minister Mr. S.B. Dissanaike contested Nuwara Eliya on the UPFA ticket, he was not successful while another brother of the Minister Jayalath Bandara Dissanaike who contested for the UNP happened to become victorious.

 In the same way, a brother by relationship to Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage contested the Kandy seat and lost the election while the Minister's brother-in-law Mr. Ananda Weerasinghe was elected from the UPFA to Kandy.

 Mr. Nilantha Wimaladharma, son-in-law of former PC member Mr. Ananda Sarath Kumara who was connected to the incident which created an uproar for having made a teacher kneel down contested for the Puttalam seat and lost while in the process former Minister Mr. D.M. Dissanayaka's wife Mrs. Indrani Dissanayaka was elected from the UPFA.

 Though Mrs. Shanthini Kongahage who represented the Central PC from the UNP for a long time and also was the president of Lakwanitha Peramuna of the same Party lost at this election. She happens to be the wife of the former Minister Mr. Sarath Kongahage.

 Newspaper report -- Ranil Dharmasena