Ruling party wins Sri Lankan elections

March 22, 1997
Web posted at: 2:29 p.m. EDT (1429 GMT)

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (CNN) -- Sri Lanka's ruling People's Alliance handily won local elections held Friday, the first test of President Chandrika Kumaratunga's party since it came to power in 1994.

Elections Commissioner Dayananda Dissanayake said the party won 194 of the 238 local councils up for election, with the opposition United National Party taking 43. One council was still undecided.

The opposition party took five of Sri Lanka's 12 largest cities, however, including the capital Colombo.

 

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