Puttalam district
The Puttalam District also does not exhibit much signs that a presidential election campaign is ongoing. Parties have opened campaign offices in the district, but signs of a hotly contest are almost nil.
NDF candidate Sajith Premadasa has already held a campaign rally in Puttalam town, where he drew a large crowd, predominantly from the Muslim community. SLPP candidate Gotabaya Rajapaksa is to campaign in district in the coming days.
The NDF’s campaign here has been handicapped by the absence of Puttalam District UNP MP Shantha Abeysekara, who has been remanded since October 10 for violating bail conditions over an incident that occurred in 2004. His case is due to come up again on November 5.
The human-elephant conflict is one of the most serious issues faced by the people here. Of the 16 divisional secretariat divisions in the area, 13 are plagued by the human- elephant conflict and it has cost lives of both humans and elephants. The two main candidates have pledged to take measures to resolve the human- elephant conflict.
Meanwhile, the controversy surrounding the Aruwakkalu sanitary landfill may also resonate with voters in Puttalam. The issue mostly affects the Puttalam, Kalpitiya and Wanathavilluwa areas. Protests are still continuing over the issue.
In Chilaw, interest regarding the election remains low. Only the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) has been seen conducting house- to- house canvassing. A campaign rally featuring JVP Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake, the presidential candidate of the National People’s Power, was held in Chilaw town on Thursday (31).
Paddy farming and fishing are the major sources of livelihood in the area and voters are keeping an eye on what the main candidates are offering the farming and fishing communities.
Chilaw has been severely impacted by the adverse weather, with rains causing severe flooding in many villages. This has mainly been due to the haphazard digging of canals to divert water to the Chilaw lagoon, residents said.
The UNP-led alliance won the Puttalam district handsomely in the 2015 parliamentary election while Maithripala Sirisena also won the district at the last presidential poll. This time, however, the fight seems far closer, with some Muslim UNP local politicians switching allegiances to the SLPP. The district is now a toss-up and it is difficult to predict which way it will swing.