Fonseka's wife to campaign in Sri Lankan election

Colombo, Feb 24 : The wife of Sri Lanka's detained former army general and defeated presidential candidate Sarath Fonseka will campaign in the forthcoming parliamentary election on behalf of her husband, Xinhua reported Tuesday.

Vijitha Herath, secretary of the newly formed Democratic National Alliance (DNA), told reporters that Fonseka will contest the April 8 election from Colombo district and his wife Anoma Fonseka would campaign on behalf of her husband.

"My husband who is in custody for no fault was ready to do any sacrifice. He always puts the country before himself. The government is scared of him and that is why he was locked up. I invite women who consist 52 percent of the country's population to rally around in my endeavor," Anoma said.

She also called the main opposition United National Party (UNP) to join the DNA led by the leftist party JVP or the People's Liberation Front.

"It is time to show the opposition is strong. We need to rally around a common goal - fight against the family rule and bring back democracy," Anoma said.

The UNP, the JVP and scores of other small parties formed an opposition alliance to support Fonseka's presidential bid, but the former army commander was defeated by the incumbent Mahinda Rajapaksa in the presidential election Jan 26.

The opposition alliance fell apart when different parties failed to select a common symbol to contest the parliamentary elections April 8.

Fonseka was arrested Feb 8 based on claims that he committed military offence while in uniform.

The supreme court Tuesday refused to release Fonseka but permitted his immediate family members and lawyers to visit him.