Polonnaruwa District:

Voters in Polonnaruwa showed up in large numbers in 2015 when Maithripala Sirisena successfully ran for the presidency. Nearly five years on, with President Sirisena opting to remain neutral and not contesting this year’s election, their interest in the election appears to be lukewarm at best.

The main parties, however, are trying hard to attract votes in the district where 326,443 are registered to poll.

The SLFP, which has teamed up with the SLPP is campaigning in the area and held a campaign meeting in Polonnaruwa this week while the NDF backed by the UNP are also working hard on the ground.

With farmers, who make up the majority in the district concentrating on work in the paddy fields for the next season there is little or no outward signs that an election is on.

Issues faced by farmers including the failure to increase the guaranteed price for paddy, the cost of living and the high unemployment rate coupled with the human-elephant conflict remain the top priority issues of the people in the district.

“The farmers expected that the guaranteed price for paddy will be increased, but they are a disappointed lot as they continue to sell their paddy at lower prices to private mills," a farmer said.

Ananada (52), a mechanic, said he was concern about the security situation.

“It is because of the security which was restored in the area that we are able to travel around to far away villages and do our work,” he said..

He said the villagers still value the fact that security was restored after the defeat of the LTTE and believe that a vote for SLPP candidate Rajapaksa will help to maintain the security.