Incumbent President Maitripala Sirisena also contested the January 8 presidential election as the common Opposition candidate using the swan symbol of the New Democratic Front (NDF). Earlier, in 2010, Field Marshall Sarath Fonseka contested the presidential election using the similar symbol.
NDF secretary Sharmila Perera told to an online news portal that she had notified the Elections Commissioner, as required by the law, of her party’s intention to contest the elections.
“We have to inform the Elections Commissioner within a given period of time after the gazette notification announcing the election is issued. We have acted accordingly. However, we have not taken a final decision. We informed the Commissioner as a precautionary measure,” she stated.
Asked whether top rung politicians had agreed to field candidates under the swan symbol this time, she said, “There is no hurry to act in this regard. There is time enough and more.”
