Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) General Secretary and Minister of Power and Energy Patali Champika Ranawaka today called on the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) to develop the areas which comes under the 16 local government bodies they won in the Northern Province.

“They were able to exercise their vote due to the freedom created by the government and the security forces by defeating terrorism”, he said.

“The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) should keep in mind about the overall mandate given by the people to the government. They should not drive the country backwards by winning 16 local government bodies. These areas were destroyed by the LTTE for thirty years and the government has taken steps to develop these areas”, Minister Ranawaka said.

He further stated that 58,000 people in the North voted for the United National Freedom Alliance (UPFA). “We can increase the number of voters in the future as we have an improvement this time. Out of 435,507 registered voters in the North, 149,053 voted for the TNA. Which is 34%”, he said.

JHU Leader Ven. Omalpe Sobitha Thera said that eight JHU candidates including two monks from Welikanda, Embilipitiya, Harispattuwa, Kantale, Balangoda and Yatinuwara were able to win at the election by obtaining a large number of preferential votes.

“We will show everyone how we are going to develop the villages under a monk. During the campaign not a single complaint was lodged against our candidates”, the thero added.

“The people have given a clear mandate to the ruling UPFA that they want to move ahead into the future with the government which eradicated terrorism”, Ven Sobitha Thero said. (Supun Dias)