Colombo Mayor A. J. M. Muzammil today alleged the ruling UPFA wanted to field his wife Feroza Muzammil as one of its Colombo District candidates for the Western Provincial Council or to stop her from contesting from the UNP.

Addressing a ceremony organized by the A. H. M. Muzammil foundation and Kantha Saviya to distribute spectacles to the needy in Colombo, he said the UNPers who prevented her from contesting the election by forcing the UNP leadership not to give her the ticket actually worked according to the UPFA agenda.

The Colombo Mayor therefore alleged that it was a Colombo District UNP MP Ravi Karunanayake and two party candidates contesting the Western provincial Council forced the party leadership and the nomination board to refrain from giving nomination to his wife.

Mr. Muzammmil who dismissed allegations that he was working with the government, questioned whether he would have allowed his wife to seek nominations from the UNP to contest the provincial council election, if it was so.

The Colombo Mayor therefore said he would remain with the UNP and chase away those UNP members who are trying to destroy the party.

Mr. Karunanayake who responded said none of the 17 organizers in Colombo wanted Ms. Muzammil to contest the provincial council election. He said the Mayor should concentrate on working for the welfare of rate payers in the city instead of talking about his wife’s nomination. He said party leader Ranil Wickremesinghe could also field his wife as a candidate if Mr. Muzammil’s argument was acceptable. (Yohan Perera)