Democratic Party leader Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka hit out at the United National Party saying that it is enjoying short term euphoria after the election victory on January 8.

Speaking at a recent meeting in Haputale, Badulla District, Fonseka pointed out that the UNP vote base had not grown substantially. He added that most of the 6.2 million votes polled by Maithripala Sirisena came from other parties.

Fonseka claimed that 7 lakhs (700,000) votes Sirisena polled belonged to the Democratic Party.  Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna attracted 500,000 and SLFP members who supported Sirisena polled 300,000. Minority votes amounted to more than a million, he said. Fonseka calculated the UNP vote base to be at 2.3 million.

He stressed on the point that the UNP has not strengthened, even though the party won the election.