Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) has unanimously decided not to join any political alliance led by the incumbent President Ranil Wickremesinghe.

This, despite the media reports claiming a split in the party following a recent statement made by the party leader, Sajith Premadasa regarding the matter.

Last week, Opposition and SJB leader Sajith Premadasa vowed that neither he nor anyone in his party would join any future political alliance which is to be led by President and leader of the United National Party Ranil Wickremesinghe claiming that SJB has the capability to win any prospective election.

Against this backdrop, SJB Chief Organiser and Opposition Parliamentarian (MP) Tissa Attanayake said that the SJB has unanimously decided not to form any political alliance with those who do not have a proper mandate as well as with the culprits of the ongoing economic crisis. He also said that several political groups are attempting to create a tension between the party leadership and the membership using this particular statement, yet almost all the MPs and the supporters have understood what Premadasa hinted in his speech.

He said that the SJB has already started discussions with the mainstream opposition parties and the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) breakaway groups regarding future elections. Accordingly he said they will be contesting all the future elections by a “massive alliance” led by Premadasa.

When asked about the media reports which claim that a group of MPs from the Freedom People’s Congress (FPC) led by the Independent MP Dullas Alahapperuma are reportedly planning to join SJB, Attanayake said that no such thing will be taken place since the said group of MPs is already working with the SJB. He said that initially some MPs were willing to join SJB before forming the FPC but now they are working as one group. He said they will definitely support the SJB in future.