UNP Organizer for the area, Ananda Lanaralle said the MP had allgedly stormed into the cooperative premises together with some local government members of UPFA and allegedly stopped the poll forcefully.
He alleged this has been done to stop a majority of UNP members being elected to the board. Mr. Lanaralle said the UNP would have easily managed to take control of the board as the party had 55 of the 85 members elected to the society on a previous occasion. The ruling UPFA had managed to get only 30 of its members elected to the society. He said the 7 member board including the chairman was elected from these 85 members of the society as per the procedure.
“ Mr. Mutuhettigama should have obtained an enjoining order from courts if he wanted to stop today’s election if he acted according to the law,” he added.
However sources close to Mr. Muttuhettigama said the cancellation of the polls was made by a deputy Commissioner of Cooperatives. Sources said the MP was not involved in any thing although he was present at the scene. (Yohan Perera)