The main ally of Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse said Tuesday that it will not upset the Rajapakse administration despite a decision to contest this month's local election independently.

Tilwin Silva, the general secretary of the JVP or the People's Liberation Front, told an election rally Tuesday in the central town of Kandy that they will continue to support the Rajapakse government at the center.

The JVP, which holds the balance of power in the parliament, decided to contest the March 30 local election on their own symbol of bell outside the ruling United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA), which they helped set up.

"We ask for power in the villages and towns to show the difference of our dedication in doing public service," said Silva, adding that the party was capable of capturing power in a considerable number of councils out of the 330 for which the elections are to be held.

"Though we have gone our own way in this election, it does not mean that we are opposing the Rajapakse government," Silva stressed.

It was the JVP support, which clinched the presidency for Rajapakse in the closely contested November presidential election.

Rajapakse beat the main opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe by less than 200,000 votes.

However, since the election, the JVP and Rajapakse have disagreed on the government's peace policy with the Tamil Tigers -- more so on the Norwegian peace facilitation.

The JVP wants the Norwegians excluded from the process alleging that the Nordic country was biased towards the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) rebels.

Rajapakse, however, continues to obtain the Norwegian services in his attempts to achieve peace with the rebels.

The JVP is also critical of Rajapakse's extra large cabinet, saying it should be cut down to manageable proportions.

Source: Xinhua