Leftist govt faces first vote test as local polls begin

Sri Lanka's leftist government faced its first electoral test with local polls yesterday since sweeping parliamentary and presidential votes last year, as the country emerged from economic meltdown.

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President Anura Kumara Dissanayake urged voters to return all 339 local council bodies to his ruling National People’s Party (NPP) coalition, which enjoys a sweeping two-thirds majority in parliament.

Mr Dissanayake, who upset the more established political parties to win the September presidential election, built on his popularity to secure the parliamentary vote held two months later.