1965 Ceylonese parliamentary election

6th Ceylonese parliamentary election

22 March 1965
151 seats to the House of Representatives of Ceylon 76 seats were needed for a majority
First party Second party   File:DudleyUNP.jpg File:Sirimavoelection.jpg Leader Dudley Senanayake Sirimavo Bandaranaike Party UNP SLFP Leader's seat Dedigama Attanagalla Last election 30 75 Seats won 66 41 Seat change +36 -34 Popular vote 1,590,929 1,221,437 Percentage 39.31% 30.18%
Prime Minister before election Sirimavo Bandaranaike SLFP Prime Minister-designate Dudley Senanayake UNP

General elections were held in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) in March 1965.

Background

The SLFP government of Sirimavo Bandaranaike lost its majority in December 1964 when some MPs deserted it over the nationalization of Lakehouse Newspapers.

Bandaranaike's program of extensive nationalization had alarmed many of the island's business interests, which rallied to the United National Party. The economy had been stagnant, and rationing had been imposed in the face of persistent food shortages.

The UNP promised to form a National Front government to oppose the SLFP and its Marxist allies. UNP leader Dudley Senanayake promised cabinet posts both to the small Sinhala nationalist parties and the Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (Federal Party).

Results

The UNP did not obtain a majority, but was able to govern as a National Front with the ITAK's support.

References

• "Result of Parliamentary General Election 1965" (PDF). Department of Elections, Sri Lanka.
• "1965 General Election Results". LankaNewspapers.com.
• "Table 36 Parliament Election (1965)". Sri Lanka Statistics. 10 February 2009.
• Rajasingham, K. T. (15 December 2001). "Chapter 19: Anguish and pain". Sri Lanka: The Untold Story. Asia Times.
• Rajasingham, K. T. (22 December 2001). "Chapter 20: Tamil leadership lacks perspicuity". Sri Lanka: The Untold Story. Asia Times.