JVP Politburo Member and former MP Sunil Handunnetti slammed both ‘main’ parties, saying that both the UNP and the UPFA do not discuss policy through their manifestos.
 
Speaking at a press conference today in Colombo, Handunnetti said that both the UNP and the UPFA has once again given a set of promises. He pointed out that this had been the political culture of the country over the past decades.
 
What the country needs is a discussion on policies to be adopted in the next five years, Handunnetti argued. Commenting on the UPFA manifesto he said that former President Mahinda Rajapaksa has given promises which he could not deliver as the President of the country for 9 years.
 
Handunnetti also criticized the UNP manifesto, adding that if the economic policy suggested by the UNP is adopted, the local industries would be ruined.

Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake yesterday joined the growing list of politicians who claimed to have 'files' in their possession, when he declared that he has 92 files regarding the corruption of the Mahinda Rajapaksa government.

Speaking at a rally in Ratnapura, Dissanayake said that he will take action against the corruption by the government of former President Rajapaksa once the new parliament in elected.

There was enough material to launch investigations to various allegations, he added.

The claims of having 'files' in possession entered the local political scene during the last presidential election when the then President Mahinda Rajapaksa claimed to have 'files' on the wrongdoings of people who had defected to the opposition. However, this comment had a huge negative impact on his campaign as he was accused of deliberately hiding facts on alleged wrongdoings of certain people.

Later in the campaign, Jathika Hela Urumaya General Secretary Patali Champika Ranawaka famously claimed that "we also have files."

A candidate of an independent group was arrested this morning with nearly 15,000 fake ballot papers at Kantale in Trincomalee District this morning.
 
Police Spokesperson ASP Ruwan Gunasekara said that the arrest was made by Kantale Police on information given by the Assistant Elections Commissioner in Trincomalee.
 
The fake ballot papers were found at a store near the Clock Tower Junction in Kantale. There was a total of 14,989 ballot papers in the store.
 
It was reported that the store was rented by a UNP candidate in the district.

Three individuals were arrested by Dambulla Police yesterday on allegedly threatening Central Province Minister Pramitha Bandara Tennakoon at the police station a few days ago.

The incident had allegedly taken place when Tennakoon arrived at the Dambulla Police Station to complain about damaging election cut-outs near former minister Janaka Bandara Tennakoon's house. Three supporters of Deputy Minister Ranjith Aluvihare verbally assaulted him inside the police station and threatened him with death, Pramitha Bandara Tennakoon complained to the police.

The suspects were arrested last night after evading arrest for a few days. They will be produced before the Dambulla Magistrate today.

Pramitha Bandara Tennakoon is the son of former Minister Janaka Bandara Tennakoon.

Police discovered 25,000 posters this morning, printed with the intention of slinging mud at former President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

The Police Media Unit told Asian Mirror that the posters were discovered at a printing press in Divulapitiya in Boralesgamuwa.

Three individuals were also arrested with the posters, police also said. They were found to be residents of Piliyandala and Pothuhera.

The three suspects were later released by the Gangodawila Magistrate Court on sureties of Rs 200,000 each.

Former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga ended her silence on the recent political developments, saying that attempts that are being made by certain forces to destroy the opportunity to create a new nation, must be defeated.
 
Issuing a special statement today, Kumaratunga said that former President Mahinda Rajapaksa destroyed the democratic principles of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party. In order to rebuild the party, priority should be given to rebuilding the nation, and safeguarding the victory secured on January 8, she added.
 
Furthermore, she appealed from all Sri Lanka Freedom Party supporters to join with the forces and the leadership that won the January 8 polls, irrespective of race, religion and other differences.
 
See the full statement
 

Uva Province Chief Minister Harin Fernando asked SLFP Spokesman Dilan Perera to take poison on August 18 once the UPFA is defeated at the general election.

He said this in response to Dilan Perera's comments yesterday, asking the Prime Minister and four others to take poison.

(Photo: Daily Mirror)

Ovitigala Dhammananda Thera yesterday explained the controversy regarding the appearance of his name on two party lists in Kalutara District by declaring that he had signed nomination papers with only the Bodu Jana Peramuna.

Speaking at a press conference, Dhammananda Thera said that his name had been added to the list of Jana Setha Peramuna without his knowledge.

He added that he signs in Sinhalese and added that according to his knowledge, someone has signed his name in English in the Jana Setha Peramuna nomination papers.

Bodu Jana Peramuna demanded election officials to investigate the matter.

The controversy broke out when it was revealed that Ovitipana Dhammananda Thera's name appeared on both the Bodu Jana Peramuna list and the Jana Setha Peramuna list in Kalutara District.

Bodu Jana Peramuna leader Galagodaatte Gnanasara Thera leads the BJP list in Kalutara.

Minister of Power and Energy Patali Champika Ranawaka said that serious revelations will be made once the investigation into former Havelock’s captain Wasim Thajudeen’s death is concluded.
 
Taking part in the ‘Salakuna’ political talk show on Hiru TV last night, Ranawaka said that Thajudeen’s death has been revealed as a murder and investigations are being conducted at the moment. Once those responsible for Thajudeen’s death are revealed, details of several other mysteries will be revealed, he added.
 
Ranawaka said that the truth behind the disappearance of Prageeth Eknaligoda, the murder of Lasantha Wickrematunga and other such disappearances and murders will be revealed. Those responsible for the deaths will also be revealed, Ranawaka said further.
Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake said that former President Mahinda Rajaaksa’s sons will be found guilty of the murder of Wasim Thajudeen’s death.
 
Speaking at a meeting in Galle recently, Dissanayake said that the former government interfered with the investigations into Thajudeen’s death which happened in 2012. The JVP leader also said that former Senior DIG Anura Senanayake made a report claiming that the death was due to an accident.
 
However, since the truth is now being revealed, the Rajapaksa sons will not be able to escape justice, Dissanayake said. The former President returned to politics to suppress the investigations so that he could save his sons from being sent to jail, Dissanayake also claimed.
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