With Environment and Natural Resources Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka yesterday announcing his bid for Colombo thus joining his Cabinet Colleagues Susil Premajayantha, Dinesh Gunawardena, Bandula Gunawardena, Rohitha Bogollagama, Milinda Moragoda, Gamini Lokuge, A.H.M. Fowzie, Jeevan Kumaratunga and Achala Jagoda to battle it out in the district, Colombo is assured of one of the most closely contested polls this time.The kaleidoscopic array of government heavyweights has assured it is largely going to be a contest among the UPFA strongmen than otherwise given the limited number of slots available even for the ruling coalition. In addition to the ministers a slew of parliamentarians including Wimal Weerawansa and a whole host of UPFA provincial councilors are slated to run for office from Colombo. With a mere twelve slots earmarked for the UPFA one could only envisage the bitterness of the fight for preferential votes this time. One may say that Prof. G.L. Peiris who is now likely to be appointed from the national list should consider him extremely fortunate that he is not going to be part of this battle for the April polls.

The UNP led by its leader Ranil Wickremesinghe who mustered the highest number of preferential votes from the district at consecutive elections is also likely to field quite a formidable team to face the challenge with a view to reverse the tables for the UPFA which bagged the district at the presidential polls. Contesting under the elephant symbol which was not associated with the recent poll defeat the principal opposition party it is learnt is busy preparing a facelift in order to woo the voters disappointed with the recent setbacks. With city votes assured the UNP is largely counting on its young organizers from suburbs to attract the youth vote in the traditionally progressive electorates like Kaduwela, Maharagama, Homagama and Kesbewa.

The JVP with its fading clout is in for a major fix this time since there’s no way of it contesting under the elephant symbol though it joined hands with the UNP at the presidential elections. With the UNP under Ranil Wickremesinghe ruling out chances of forsaking the party symbol at the April elections the future of the former Marxists still remains uncertain.

While the dynamics of politics has assured interesting times ahead what however disappointing is the manner certain provincial councilors contesting parliamentary polls have turned Colombo walls an eye sore with posters. This display of extravagance even before the dissolution, one may say speak of the insecurities of the candidates who are now forced to contest with cabinet ministers and parliamentarians.