Securing an absolute majority of seats in the Southern Provincial Council (SPC) the ruling United People’s Freedom Alliance (UFA) led by President Mahinda Rajapaksa scored a grand slam winning all elections to provincial councils held since 10 May 2008.

In last Saturday’s (10) elections to the SPC the UPFA polled 804,071 votes (67.88%) winning 38 seats in the 55 member provincial council, gaining an absolute majority in it, with the main opposition United National Party (UNP) polling 297,180 votes (25.09%) and the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP – Peoples Liberation Front) trailing far behind with 72,379 votes and three seats.

In elections to eight provincial councils held since mid-2008 the UPFA has won comfortably in all of them, gaining a large percentage of votes and comfortable majorities in all of them. The winning run of the UPFA began with the first ever elections to the Eastern Provincial Council in May 2008, held months after the Eastern Province was liberated from control by the terrorism of the LTTE. This election resulted in a former child soldier of the LTTE being chosen Chief Minister of the new provincial council.

Since then, in well phased out elections, the ruling alliance has had clear victories winning complete control of councils in the North Central, Central, North Western (Wayamba), Sabaragamuva, Uva and Western Provinces, all the provinces that have elected councils. The Northern Province, recently liberated with the final rout of the LTTE in May this year, is the only province where a provincial assembly has to be established.

The victory in the Southern Province, rounding off its repeated successes in all previous provincial polls, shows the unshaken popularity of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, which has increased since his election as President in November 2005, and has been on the rise since the success of military operations against the LTTE; which saw them defeated in the East in 2007 and culminated in the final liberation of the North and East from terrorism in May this year.

Significantly, these successes of the UPFA led by President Rajapaksa has also seen a sharp and clear decline in the voting strength of the main opposition UNP, led by former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, who was defeated in the last presidential polls by Mahinda Rajapaksa. The series of provincial polls have also shown a huge downturn on the votes of the JVP, which gained nearly 40 seats in the central parliament in General Elections held in April 2004, when it contused in alliance with the UPFA. It also was together with Mahinda Rajapaksa in the Presidential polls in November 2005. Going it alone in the provincial elections, the JVP has seen its vote base rapidly declining, with it faring very badly in last Saturday’s polls in the South, which was considered its strongest region.

The Southern Province that gave the grand slam victory to President Rajapaksa and the UPFA includes the Hambantota District which is the home turf of the President, with him hailing from Beliatta in this District, the electorate earlier held by his late father, from which he later entered parliament.

Following the completion of these provincial elections, there is much speculation in political circles as to the next election in the country. The life of the current Parliament ends in April next year, requiring a general election to be called before that, and the Constitution allows the President to call for a fresh Presidential Poll on completion of four years in office, which happens on November 19, this year. Speculation is rife as to which election will be given precedence, given the unchallenged popularity of President Rajapaksa overwhelming all opposition, especially after the defeat of the LTTE and terrorism, and the many development projects now implemented in the country.

Following are the results of the Southern Provincial Council elections.

Please follow the below link to receive detailed results of each district.
http://222.165.136.69/elections_2009/southern_province/