SJB MP Mujibur Rahuman, who spearheaded the party’s campaign, told The Island that the LG Commissioner had been bent on facilitating the NPP’s victory.
The JVP/NPP had no option but to go for a secret vote as the ruling party obviously had an understanding with some elected councillors. After having accused all other political parties of being corrupt, the NPP had to manipulate the results through a secret vote and the whole exercise was on live TV.
Responding to The Island queries, the former UNPer alleged that Commissioner of the Department of Local Government of the Western Province, Sarangika Jayasundara, had engineered the sordid operation. “From the word go, she was pushing for a secret vote. It is not difficult to comprehend that she facilitated the NPP strategy,” the Colombo District lawmaker alleged.