Colombo: Nine prominent journalists are among the eminent figures who have joined the race for the April 8 Parliamentary Election in Sri Lanka.
Besides, eminent sports and film personalities are also in the race for Lanka's seventh Parliamentary Election. The journalists have found their way in the ruling coalition United People's Freedom Alliance, the main opposition party United National Party, the pro-LTTE Tamil National Alliance besides and two independent groups.
Three of them will contest from the Colombo district while two have decided to contest from Northern Jaffna. The rest are from upcountry Nuwara Eliya, the Gem mine district of Ratnapura, and the Eastern Batticaloa, Ampara and the Matara districts, state-owned Sunday Observer reported.
The UPFA has fielded two journalists, former Rupavahini (the state-owned TV) CEO Karu Paranavithana, who received nomination to contest from the Ratnapura district and
ITN (government-controlled English channel) deputy director Sudharman Radaliyagoda who will be contesting from Colombo.
Private channel MTV's director Susil Kidelpitiya, representing Colombo, Tamil Daily Virakesari news editor Sri Gajan (Jaffna), MTV presenter Sri Ranga (Nuwara Eliya) and
Buddhika Pathirana (Matara) will contest under the UNP-led UNF banner.
Managing director of the Uthayan and Sudar Oli publications E Saravanabhavan will be in the fray representing the Jaffna district under the TNA, the newspaper said.
Lake House and ITN local correspondent Jaufar Khan will contest on the seat of the United Democratic People's Alliance, an independent group, in Eastern Batticaloa.
MM Jesmin, the local correspondent of (Eastern) Kalmunai in Lake House (that brings out State-owned Daily News, and some regional newspapers) will contest under an Independent political group.
PTI
First Published: Sunday, February 28, 2010, 15:36