Dayasritha Thissera

Dayasritha got into politics by following his father Protus Tissera’s footsteps. Protus Tissera stepped into politics in the 1960s. He was a member of a Kammal Katuwa Gamsabahawa and then contested for general election in 1970 from Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and got elected to the parliament by securing 10,657 votes. He was given the organizer post for SLFP for Nattandiya Electorate.

Dayasritha entered into politics in 1988 by joining to People’s Front. He contested for general election from The People’s Alliance and could not get enough votes to get elected for the parliament. He then contested for the Provincial Counsel election and won a seat in North Western Province. In 2000 General Election Dayasritha Tissera contested for a parliamentary seat from People’s Alliance and secured a seat with 38,885 votes. The Peoples’ Alliance government faced a blow because of the decision of most SLMC MPs to leave coalition government and were planning on bringing a no confidence motion against the president. Therefore, Chandrika Kumaratunge called for a sudden general election just a little year after the 2000 General Election on 5^th of December 2001.

Throughout the turmoil, Dayasritha had been supporting president Kumaratunge along with rest of People’s Alliance MPs. With that popularity Dayasritha again contested for the General Election with the same alliance in 2000 and won a parliament seat by securing 32,457 votes in Puttlam District which was 3^rd highest votes secured by People’s Alliance MP in the district. In 2004 President Chandrika Kumaratunge appointed Dayasritha as the Deputy Minister of Ports and Aviation. He worked with Mangala Samaraweera, Minister of Ports and Aviation who was a member of Sri Lanka Freedom Party back then. In 2007, Dayasritha got appointed as the non-cabinet minister of Skill Developments and Vocational Training where he had to put his all strength for empowering youth and improve the vocational training programs all over the country.

In 2010 General Election Dayasritha contested from United People’s Freedom Alliance (SLFP) and secured a seat from Puttlam District with 38,704 votes. It was a land sliding victory for Mahinda Rajapaksha and United Freedom Alliance (SLFP). Along with Dayasritha’s seat, United People’s Freedom Alliance (SLFP) could secure 6 seats when United National Front could only secure 2 seats. President Mahinda Rajapksha appointed Dayasritha as the Cabinet Minister of State Resource and Enterprise Development. Dayasritha’s ministry was given a huge role in developing infrastructure in country after the end of 30 year long civil war.