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Kumaratunga decides to advance presidential elections by two years

Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga has accepted the Opposition's leader's challenge to hold the presidential elections this year, two years ahead of schedule, the state media reported today.

The government-controlled Daily News reported that Kumaratunga told a meeting of parliamentarians of her ruling People's Alliance yesterday that she was prepared to face the presidential election ''from now on.''

Her announcement was in response to Opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe's challenge last week to face him in a presidential election and win.

''I wish to tell her she won't be able to bag even 26 per cent of the votes, although she received 62 per cent during the last elections,'' he told a rally of his main Opposition United National Party last week.

He said the UNP would support the government's move to postpone the provincial council polls, due in August, if Kumaratunga agreed to hold the presidential election in November.

The leaders of the influential Buddhist clergy had issued an appeal to all political parties to postpone the provincial council election till the conclusion of the war against the Tamil militants in the north-east.

Wickremesinghe alleged that Kumaratunga, who won the presidential election ''by force,'' realised that her party would not be able to win the provincial council poll in a similar manner.

The Daily News said government MPs, responding to a question by the president, assured her that the ruling party could convincingly win the provincial council polls.

The state radio said justice and constitutional affairs minister G L Peiris had already contacted Wickremesinghe and conveyed to him the president's acceptance of his challenge to hold the presidential election.

It quoted the UNP leader as having told the minister that he would give his response after consultations with his party.

UNI

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