The overwhelming victory of the UPFA at the Southern Provincial Council election as a victory of the people who love their Motherland, said President Mahinda Rajapaksa in a statement on the resounding victory of the UPFA.

The clear and overwhelming mandate given by the Southern people at this election is a decisive and strong message to those groups trying to create misconceptions about the Government and also to the international community, President Mahinda Rajapaksa said.

The President pointed out that the overwhelming mandate from the Southern people has encouraged the Government to go ahead with its plan to protect the nation, and reawaken it with renewed strength.

”The Southern people who contributed to my victory at the 2005 Presidential election, have reaffirmed their confidence in the UPFA by giving it a two thirds majority at the Southern Provincial Council. And this victory is a clear endorsement of the Mahinda Chinthana program by the Southern people,” the statement added.

President Rajapaksa also invited all to join together for the sacred a mission of creating a proud nation. ”It is with gratitude that I remember the Southern people who joined hands together without confining themselves to political, ethnic and religious differences for the progress of their Motherland”, the President said. He thanked the Elections Commissioner and his staff, Government officials and the Security Forces personnel who took great pains to conduct a peaceful election and those media institutions which acted responsibly during the election period.