Namal challenged, President concerned

President Mahinda Rajapaksa is apparently concerned over the challenge that has come into light at the recently held PC polls elections against his son MP Namal Rajapaksa who, up until recent times, was considered the only youth leader of the government.

According to reports from the United States, where the President is currently attending 68th Session of the UN General Assembly in New York, the President's concern is rising from two main reasons.

One reason is said to be the crushing defeat suffered by Namal's close friend Johan Fernando, to whom Namal openly gave his support against Mr. Dayasiri Jayasekara.

The other is the sudden entrance of two youngsters from founding families of the SLFP in Matale and Kandy districts to the political arena with massive preferential votes.

Mr. Dayasiri Jayasekara's titanic heap of preferences has also surprised the President, reports say.

Although President's close aide MP Lakshman Wasantha Perera tried to hinder the election campaign of Pramitha Bandara Tennakoon - son of Minister Janaka Bandara Tennakoon, Pramitha got the highest preference count from Matale.

Furthermore, President had not expected Anuradha Jayaratne, son of Prime Minister D. M. Jayaratne, to top the preferential votes list.

Speaking to a senior minister said that the President, whose sole ambition is to attain his son to the presidential seat, become President, had even trapped Shasheendra Rajapaksa, a young politician with a growing fame at the time by making him the Uva CM in order to bring Namal into national politics.