National List of main political parties a hotchpotch of sorts
The National List nominees of the main political parties contesting the August 17 poll include former Parliamentarians, academics as well as members of the clergy.
The UPFA National List includes several former legislators including A.H.M. Fowzie, G.L. Peiris, Tissa Attanayake Dr. Sarath Amunugama, Dilan Perera, Reginold Cooray, Jeewan Kumaratunga, Tiran Alles, Faizer Mustapha, J. Sri Ranga, Prof. Rajiv Wijesinha, Tissa Vitarana,and D.E.W.Gunasekera.
The others are Professor H.R.S. Mohamed, Malith Jayathilaka, and Shiral Lakthilaka, Prof. Colvin Gunaratne, Prabha Ganeshan, Prof. Kapila Gunasekara, Dr. B.A. Ratnapala, Charitha Herath, Karuppiah Ganesh Moorthi, Leslie Devendra, C. Somaweera, S.M. Uthuma, M.F.M. Muzammil and Gevindu Kumaratunga.
Two former Prime Ministers Ratnasiri Wickremanayake and D.M. Jayaratne who entered Parliament on the UPFA National list in 2010 and now serve as advisors to President Maithripala Sirisena have been excluded from the list. Several UPFA National List MPs whose served in the last Parliament as appointed MPs have been dropped this time and these include A.H.M.Azwer, Ven. Ellawela Medhananda Thera, Muttu Sivalingam, Achala Jagoda, Vinayagamurthy Muralitharan, J.R.P. Suriyapperuma, Malini Fonseka and Kamala Ranatunge.
The UNP National List also includes several former MPs such as Karu Jayasuriya while others on the list are D.M. Swaminathan, Anoma Gamage, K. Velayuthan, Hussain Ali, Ven. Athuraliye Rathana Thera, Ven. Omalpe Sobitha Thera and M.K.D. S Gunawardena, Malik Samarawickrama, Mohammad Jamil, Dr. Jayampathy Wickramaratne, Thilak Marapone, Prof. Chandrajith Marasinghe, Nizam Kariyapper, Azath Sally, Irvin Weerackody, Raja Uswetakeiyawa, Wimal Jayasiri, ,Suranimala Rajapaksa, Winston Pathiraja, Sirinal de Mel, A. Sasitharan, Shahul Hameed, Krishantha Cooray, Abdul Hafeez, Mohamed Salman, Mohamed Naja, Yogadas Pancharatnam and P.G. Gunaratne
The JVPs National List nominees are former Auditor General S.C. Mayadunne, Chrishmal Warnasuriya, Upul Kumarapperuma, Prof. A.J. Ruhunuhewa, Prof. Susiripala Manawadu, Prof. Kapila Perera and Prof. Piyadasa Ranasinghe. Cartoonist Winnie Hettigoda, Charles Dayananda, writer Anthony Jeewa, Sajeewa Chamikara, Manjula Samarasekera and Anuruddha Jayasinghe.
The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) National List includes Prof. C.K.Chittrambalam, Solomon Cyril, Nachiyar Selvanayagam, Mylvahanam Thevarajan, Merykamala Kunaseelan, Kanagamanathan, S.S. Kulanayagam, Anthonypillai Maryamma and Arunasalam Gunapalasingham. than. The presence of an independent group of former LTTE cadre contesting the Jaffna district is a notable feature.
In the Wanni District, the ITAK group is headed by former MP Selvam Adakkalinathan while the UNP group is led by Risad Badhiutheen. The UPFA in Wanni is led by Premaratne Sumathipala.