Mar 30, Colombo: Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa today urged the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) supporters to try to increase ruling party votes instead of preferential votes of the candidates contesting for the upcoming Western Provincial Council elections.

During a special meeting held with the Kalutara District SLFP electoral organizers at the Temple Trees this morning, President stressed that the chief ministerial post will be given according to the party decision but not according to the preferential votes that each candidate gets.

The President urged the party supporters and the organizers to stop inciting fights for preferential votes but to work to win the party at the forthcoming election and the party should come first instead of preferential votes.

The WPC election is to be held on April 25th and the SLFP is confident that it will win the poll with a clear majority.

Earlier President Rajapaksa warned to take disciplinary actions against the SLFP candidates who incite fights for the preferential votes in the upcoming election.

President has taken this decision as he has received many complaints of some SLFP candidates violating laws to win the preferential votes.