• Only one debate is a no go: Tissa Attanayake

 The debate between the Opposition and Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) leader Sajith Premadasa and Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna-led National People's Power (NPP) leader, Parliamentarian Anura Kumara Dissanayake which is to take place this week is increasingly uncertain, as the NPP is yet to agree to the proposed debate between the parties' economic committees.

The NPP had recently agreed to hold a public debate between the leaders of the two parties on 6 June, a date proposed by the SJB. However, they had not mentioned a debate between the parties' economic committees.

With only a few days left until 6 June, The Daily Morning asked SJB National Organiser and Opposition MP Tissa Attanayake about the likelihood of the Premadasa-Dissanayake debate taking place on the anticipated date. He responded that the debate is unlikely to occur because the NPP has yet to agree to the debate between the economic committees.

"We have clearly communicated to them (NPP) that we need both debates to be held. It will not be possible to hold both on one day, but we can decide on dates for both and hold the leaders' debate first. The NPP not agreeing to this suggests they have no economic committee or economic programme. We are not going ahead with only one debate." Attanayake charged.

However, in response to a query by The Daily Morning via a text message as to whether he would take part in the debate, Opposition Leader Premadasa responded, asking "which debate?". When he was informed that the query was about the proposed debate between him and Dissanayake, he texted; "No idea."

The NPP's Economic Committees Head, Prof. Anil Jayantha wasn't available for comment.

Speaking to the media recently, NPP's Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa said that among the five dates proposed by the SJB, the NPP picked 6 June for the debate between Dissanayake and Premadasa. He said that further discussions on the venue, time, and subject of the debate would be held with the representative of the SJB, but did not mention anything about the debate between the parties' economic committees, despite the SJB needing to decide on dates for both the debates.