Main Fiji party wins ballots

Press, 16 December 1985, Page 6

Main Fiji party wins ballots

NZPA Suva The governing Alliance Party recovered from its losses in the Suva City Council elections last month and won victories in elections around the country on Saturday. It won two town council elections and two by-elec-tions after counting ended in Suva and Lautoka early yesterday. The victories were achieved at the expense of the opposition National Federation Party, which was run out of areas it had once controlled. In town council elections the Alliance won majorities in Nandi and Labasa, both previously controlled by the National Federation Party. In the by-election for the North Central Indian seat, which attracted a 66.6 per cent turn-out, Uday Singh beat the Labour Party candidate by 241 votes. The National Federation

Party’s candidate, James Shankar Singh, who is also Uday Singh’s brother, polled more than 2000 votes behind the Labour candidate in what was formerly a N.F.P. seat. Uday Singh’s win lifts the Alliance Party’s membership in the 52-member Parliament to 29 seats. The National Federation party now has only 19 seats. Three seats are held by Independents who resigned from the opposition last month. Another seat is held by a rebel Opposition Parliamentarian, Vijay Parmdnandam, the Deputy Speaker. Yesterday morning’s results was also a set-back for Labour, which had hoped to make an inroad into rural areas. \ Its shock win in the Suva City Council elections last month boosted its popularity, but it was unable to win in Nandi, Labasa, and the North Central district.