The United National Party said today that a candidate having the surname ‘Rajapaksa’ when contesting a Provincial Council election was considered a qualification for the post of chief minister.

“When Shashindra Rajapaksa got the highest preferential votes in the previous Uva Provincial Council   election, he was appointed the Chief Minister there, but when Anuradha Jayaratne won the highest preferential votes in the Central Provincial Council election, he was not given the same priority. This leads us to believe that a candidate having the surname ‘Rajapaksa’ is a qualification for the Chief Ministerial post,” UNP UVA Provincial Councillor Tissa Kuttiarachchi told a news conference today.

He said there was the possibility of getting a chief ministerial post in the upcoming Provincial Council elections if candidates changed their surnames to Rajapaksa. (Lahiru Pothmulla)