Colombo is expected to turn gay and colourful as usual with typical revelry by exuberant crowds on this year’s May Day as well, given the elaborate arrangements being made by a number of trade unions and the main political parties to celebrate the event.
The ruling UPFA will hold their rally at the Colombo Town Hall grounds and the JVP at the BRC grounds. Meanwhile, the UNP which has taken a decision to have their May Day celebrations out of Colombo will hold their rally at the UC grounds in Bandarawela.
The UPFA rally to be held at the Town Hall presided over by President Mahinda Rajapaksa at 3 p.m. on May 1, is expected to draw the biggest crowd given the government’s plans to demonstrate the popular backing it continues to enjoy in the backdrop of the challenge to the country’s image posed by the UN Experts’ Panel.more
The UPFA rally will be preceded by a demonstration. The UPFA supporters arriving in four separate streams will converge at the Eye Hospital intersection before proceeding to the venue of the public rally. The procession of the SLFP members and supporters will begin at the Campbell Park. The LSSP and the Democratic Left Front will start their march from the Dr. N. M. Perera statue at Rajagiriya. The MEP and the Jatika Nidahas Peramuna will begin their processions from Narahenpita and Maligakanda respectively.
The political parties of the UPFA representing the estate sector are planning to hold separate rallies in the hill country. However, their leaders will participate in the main rally in Colombo.
UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe will chair the party’s rally to be held in Bandarawela at 10 a.m. on May Day. The UNP’s May Day slogans as well as speeches are expected to take the government to task over issues such as high cost of living, violation of human rights, denial of rights of the working class and repression of media freedom.
The JVP’s May Day rally at the BRC grounds, Colombo will be preceded by a colourful procession starting from the S. de S. Jayasinghe Esplanade in Dehiwela.
JVP’s Propaganda Secretary Parliamentarian Vijitha Herath said that their rally is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m.
Courtesy - The Nation
