Aug 03, Colombo: Candidates of the National Freedom Front (NFF), a coalition party of Sri Lanka's ruling United Peoples' Freedom Alliance (UPFA), have signed the nomination papers to contest the Uva Provincial Council separately.

A team including attorney Chaminda Mahanama and Sarath Tennakoon signed the nomination papers for Badulla district and team headed by former parliamentarian and Provincial Councilor Padma Udaya Shantha Gunasekara signed for Moneragala District.

Addressing media following the signing, Gunasekara said the party would gain more votes than the Marxist party Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) at the election.

The party decided to contest separately from the ruling UPFA since the main constituent party of the alliance, Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) granted nomination to a former NFF Provincial Councilor of the Moneragala district who has been sacked from the NFF and subjected to a disciplinary probe.

NFF had three seats in Uva Provincial Council but all the other councilors except Padma Udaya Shantha have now left the party. One former councilor is to contest from the opposition United National Party (UNP) and the other is to contest from ruling SLFP.