Nuwara Eliya – April 25: Ceylon Workers’ Congress (CWC) General Secretary and Nuwara Eliya District MP Jeevan Thondaman has accused National People’s Power (NPP) Members of Parliament representing plantation areas of abandoning their constituents, claiming they have failed to address the pressing issues of the estate communities since taking office.
Launching the CWC’s local government election campaign in Norwood and Agarapatana, Thondaman criticized the NPP government for doing “nothing for the people” since gaining power and warned that development in the plantation sector would stall if they are re-elected.
“The people voted for change. They gave the National People’s Power two-thirds of the power, hoping for a new political era. But what have they done?” Thondaman asked. “The MPs you elected from the plantations—have they come back to speak to you about your issues?”
He emphasized that the only government body capable of carrying out development in plantation areas is the Ministry of Estate Infrastructure, which is currently headed by a cabinet minister from Badulla and a deputy minister from Ratnapura, representing both Sinhalese and Tamil communities respectively.
“These two are the ones actually doing the work in the Nuwara Eliya district—not the NPP,” he said. “We in the plantation sector have no power under this government. If the NPP wins again at the local level, you can forget about development reaching your communities.”
Thondaman’s remarks come as tensions rise between the estate sector and the NPP-led government, with growing discontent over unfulfilled promises, lack of engagement by elected MPs, and limited infrastructure improvements in historically neglected plantation regions.
As the local government elections approach, the CWC is positioning itself as the only political voice committed to tangible development in the plantation sector, appealing directly to voters who feel sidelined by the current administration.
