• Finalisation of debt restructuring plan with Paris Club OCC, China to be announced on Wednesday
• RW to address the nation, call to convene the House; plans for islandwide celebrations from 27th 
• Series of rallies to start from Matara on Sunday, followed by Galle on 7 July and then Badulla, Kandy
• RW to announce presidential candidacy in July likely from Kandy after ‘out of bankruptcy’ campaign
• Intelligence units’ survey shows Sajith in lead followed by AKD; RW shows increase but at third place
• RW’s campaign sees third office opened in Colombo 2; group of foreigners also employed for prog.
• SJB opposes further burdens through proposed rental income tax; vows to renegotiate deal with IMF
• UNP-SJB alliance talks resurface as SJB crossovers take more time; Dullas, Dayasiri, Roshan to join SJB
• SLFP splits three ways; Nimal becomes Leader of official SLFP while Duminda takes charge as Gen. Sec.
• Yapa-Lanza-SLFP (Nimal group) alliance opposes Rajapaksas; says SJBers will not cross over if so
• New alliance to follow 2015 JVP; decides on separate campaign in support of RW sans Rajapaksa SLPP
• Basil loses cool when Prasanna conveys message; says SLPP is a separate party ready to field candidate
• Rajapaksa family meets at GR’s 75th birthday; Namal speaks of SLPP’s candidate at the Presidential Polls
• Sarvajana Balaya targets SLPP’s 6.9 million voters; poster campaign similar to ‘Mahinda Sulanga’
• New pro-’Aragalaya’ alliance launched; no comment yet on Presidential Polls and fielding candidate

President Ranil Wickremesinghe and his Government seem to be in preparation mode for celebrations, with the anticipation of the announcement of the finalising of the country’s debt restructuring programme with bilateral creditors expected on Wednesday (26). The official announcement of the finalisation of the debt restructuring programme with the members of the Official Creditor Committee (OCC) of the Paris Club and the Chinese creditors is expected to reach Colombo on Wednesday afternoon.

It is learnt that several senior Government members have made arrangements to carry out islandwide celebrations on Thursday (27) to coincide with President Wickremesinghe’s announcement of the finalising of the debt restructuring programme and that Sri Lanka is no longer a bankrupt nation. Musical shows have been planned in the nine provinces as well. 

These celebrations are being organised by Ministers Manusha Nanayakkara and Harin Fernando as well as United National Party (UNP) National Secretary Ravi Karunanayake, along with a group of ministers of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP).

It is also learnt that while the President is expected to address the nation soon after the official announcement on the debt restructuring agreement, he will also call on the Speaker to convene a special session of Parliament to make the announcement that the country has come out of bankruptcy.

Series of rallies

Meanwhile, a series of rallies have been organised by the Government starting next Sunday (30). The first rally is to be held in Matara, organised by Minister Kanchana Wijesekera. All organisers in the south affiliated to the parties in the Wickremesinghe Government have been asked to pull crowds for the rally, which will be the President’s first public rally after declaring the country is out of bankruptcy.

The second rally in the series is to be held in Galle on 7 July organised by UNP Chairman Wajira Abeywardena, followed by two more rallies during July in Badulla and Kandy.

The Wickremesinghe camp is planning for crossovers from Opposition parties to take place during these rallies.

Announcement in July

However, it is learnt that President Wickremesinghe will make the announcement of his candidacy at the upcoming Presidential Election in July.

It is anticipated that Wickremesinghe will make the announcement at the Kandy rally since the UNP has always launched its election campaigns from Kandy while the final rally has always been held in Colombo Central.

Although initial plans were for Wickremesinghe to announce his candidacy at the Presidential Election soon after announcing that Sri Lanka is no longer a bankrupt nation and that he has steered the country through one of its most difficult times, it has now been decided for him to make the announcement in July after the masses have been made aware of the task that was undertaken by the President to salvage the country from bankruptcy.

Therefore, the focus of Wickremesinghe’s campaign will be around the theme of ‘the saviour of the nation’. A song sung by two leading artistes – a male and a female – dedicated to the President is to also be launched during the campaign. It is interesting to see Wickremesinghe, who has not been one for much fanfare, now following in the path of the SLPP leaders – the Rajapaksas – when it comes to celebrations.

More offices

It is however interesting to see that the Wickremesinghe Presidential Election campaign will witness the highest number of political/operations offices.

‘The Black Box’ in the last few editions detailed the two offices that have been opened on Flower Road, Colombo 7 and Lauries Lane, Colombo 4.

It is now learnt that a third office has been opened on W.A.D. Ramanayake Mawatha in Colombo 2. This office, which has been set up by Wickremesinghe’s Chief of Staff Sagala Ratnayaka, also houses a group of foreign nationals who are to frame the President’s election campaign. Wickremesinghe’s campaign manager Harin Fernando is operating from this Colombo 2 office.

It is also learnt that the slogans for Wickremesinghe’s campaign have already been prepared and will be officially disseminated from July.

Third place

Be that as it may, President Wickremesinghe is yet to climb the popularity list, with Opposition and Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) Leader Sajith Premadasa and Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP)-led National People’s Power (NPP) Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake (AKD) leading the list in the first and second positions, respectively.

The latest survey carried out by intelligence units, it is learnt, has noted that while Wickremesinghe has managed to witness an increase in the percentage of people supporting him when compared to previous surveys, he still remained in third position.

The survey has further noted that the percentage of voters supporting Premadasa and AKD have not seen much change, while the number of undecided voters still remains quite high at around 40%.

Clashing with Judiciary

In the midst of these political developments, President Wickremesinghe clashed with the Judiciary last week when he accused the Supreme Court of “judicial cannibalism” following its determination on the Gender Equality Bill. He told Parliament that the Supreme Court could not rule on a bill but could only advise Parliament on the bill’s value.

The President proposed the appointment of a Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) to discuss the matter further while outlining that the Supreme Court could only provide observations on the laws being formulated by the Legislature.

However, Opposition parties opposed the President’s statement, claiming that the Executive could not undermine the Judiciary in such a manner.

Secretaries under fire

Meanwhile, frustration boiled over at the Presidential Secretariat this past week over the apparent lacklustre performances of ministry secretaries. 

During this past week’s parliamentary sittings, the debate on the Women’s Empowerment Bill came under heavy scrutiny with the apparent confusion over the amendments. As the debate dragged on, State Minister of Women and Child Affairs Geetha Kumarasinghe found herself at the receiving end of criticism from both Government and Opposition Members of Parliament (MPs) as she had failed to properly present the agreed upon amendments to the bill during the committee stage of the debate.  

In fact, Leader of the House Minister Dr. Susil Premajayantha was forced to intervene, entering the Public Officials’ Box only to find that Ministry of Women’s Affairs Secretary Yamuna Perera was absent. Dr. Premajayantha had then been heard giving the officials a tongue-lashing before re-entering the Chamber. He and State Minister Lasantha Alagiyawanna had finally assisted Kumarasinghe, eventually ensuring the amendments were passed.

However, the failure on the part of the Ministry Secretary to be present during the debate was not missed by higher-ups. Sources within the Presidential Secretariat confirmed that the Ministry Secretary would be removed effective this week. They claimed that despite the President’s attempts to work amicably with Government servants, the continuous failures to deliver results had finally led to a sharp crackdown on their appointments. It is expected that this swift removal of the Ministry Secretary will send a message to other secretaries and officials that failure to carry out their duties will be met with stern action.

IMF burdens

While the Wickremesinghe Government has been jubilant over the release of the third tranche of the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) Extended Fund Facility (EFF) programme with Sri Lanka, the main Opposition SJB has said it will not agree to the proposed imputed rental income tax that the Government has undertaken to be implemented in 2025. 

According to SJB’s economic chief Dr. Harsha de Silva, such a tax is unfair and should not be implemented. He further pointed out that the IMF had already indicated that it was prepared to renegotiate the deal with Sri Lanka should a new government take office. 

De Silva pointed out that an individual with a monthly salary of Rs. 150,000 currently paid Rs. 3,500 in taxes and that if the same individual was subject to an imputed rental income of Rs. 100,000 per month, their tax liability would skyrocket to Rs. 21,000 per month, unless there were adjustments to tax thresholds and rates. The proposal aims to collect Rs. 150 billion by 2026, necessitating a broad tax net. However, its fairness and practicality are under scrutiny.

The SJB MP has further challenged the Ministry of Finance over its claim that only the very wealthy will be affected by the new tax. He questioned how the Treasury planned to raise Rs. 150 billion – equivalent to 0.8% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) – by 2026 through the proposed imputed rental income tax, implying a wider impact than stated.

The SJB has already claimed that it will work with the IMF and renegotiate certain aspects of the agreement under a future SJB government.

Meanwhile, Finance Ministry Tax Policy Advisor Thanuja Perera has said the Government is yet to decide the threshold of the said tax and that further developments of the particular tax policy will be undertaken following the implementation of the threshold, which is yet to be determined.

Sajith hits out

SJB and Opposition Leader Premadasa meanwhile claimed that the Wickremesinghe Government had no issue in placing burdens on the general public in line with the IMF deal, while providing relief and perks to a select group of its loyalists.

Addressing a recent public event, Premadasa has accused the Government of having written off huge amounts of borrowings obtained by some of its supporters in lieu of various forms of assistance.

The Opposition Leader has noted that he had raised the matter in Parliament and even demanded that the Finance Minister reveal the identities of the loan defaulters but that the Government had refrained from providing details, saying they were confidential matters.

Billions defaulted

Adding to Premadasa’s allegation, parliamentary Committee on Ways and Means Chairman Patali Champika Ranawaka has also alleged that several individuals, including former and current ministers and state ministers and businessmen friendly to politicians, have defaulted on loan payments amounting to more than Rs. 650 billion to the two State-owned banks.

“When an ordinary person goes to a bank today, they can’t obtain a loan. Are loans available at the interest rates that the Central Bank Governor says they are? No. Why? Because banks are burdened with over Rs. 650 billion in bad debts. A large number of individuals, including former and current ministers and state ministers, have defaulted on loan payments in this manner,” Ranawaka has claimed. 

He has further claimed that more than 60% of people have deposited less than Rs. 5,000 in banks and that it is unjustifiable for that group to be burdened in the name of economic reforms. 

UNP-SJB alliance

Meanwhile, talks have once again emerged on the need to form an alliance between the UNP and the SJB at the upcoming Presidential Election in order to secure the 50% plus one votes required to claim victory.

It is learnt that the intelligence unit survey that has indicated Wickremesinghe continuing to remain at third place in popularity has compelled a group of UNPers to continue to push for an alliance with the SJB. A group of SJB MPs has once again commenced a discussion on exploring the possibilities of forming an alliance between the SJB and UNP in order to ensure a clear victory at the upcoming election, given that none of the three main candidates enjoy a clear majority of the vote bank at present. 

These MPs have also noted that the JVP/NPP will have an edge at the election if the SJB and UNP opt to contest separately. However, the SJB Leader had not shown interest in the formation of an alliance with the UNP when several SJB MPs had raised the matter with him.

It is learnt that talks for a UNP-SJB alliance are being pushed mostly in the SJB by a group of MPs whose names have figured as those waiting to cross over to support Wickremesinghe.

Denying crossovers

However, a group of SJB MPs whose names have often been associated with talks of SJB defectors to the Wickremesinghe Government are beginning to make public statements that they will not leave the SJB. So far SJB MPs de Silva, Eran Wickramaratne, Ajith Mannapperuma, J.C. Alawathuwala, and several others have claimed that they had no plans to cross over to Wickremesinghe’s side.

It is learnt that a meeting between a group of SJB MPs had taken place where they had discussed the upcoming elections and the current positions of the SJB and President Wickremesinghe at length.

It is learnt that Opposition and SJB Leader Premadasa is confident that members of his party will not cross over to Wickremesinghe’s side, especially given the possibility of the Rajapaksas expressing support to the President at the Presidential Election.

Allocations under fire

Meanwhile, Opposition party leaders and MPs last week slammed President Wickremesinghe’s move to allocate funds under the decentralised budget to a group of selected few.

Dissident SLPP MP Dayasiri Jayasekara, Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) Leader and SJB MP Rauff Hakeem, and Chief Opposition Whip Lakshman Kiriella called on Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena to intervene to ensure that funds under the decentralised budget are distributed properly.

“There are certain MPs who have received Rs. 100 million. I don’t know why this is handled in this way. If funding is given, it should be given to all MPs. Why provide funding to only those who praise the Government? I urge the Speaker to discuss this with the President and the Finance Ministry and ensure that these funds are provided to all MPs,” Jayasekara claimed in Parliament on Tuesday (18). He further claimed that Wickremesinghe was in the process of trying to form his own T20 team of political crossovers through fund allocations.

Hakeem meanwhile claimed that the provision of decentralised funding to selected MPs without informing the party leaders was not acceptable, adding that disciplinary inquiries would have to be conducted against the relevant MPs.

Rishad with RW

It is in such a backdrop that All Ceylon Makkal Congress (ACMC) Leader and SJB MP Rishad Bathiudeen was seen last week with President Wickremesinghe in Mannar. Bathiudeen attended the special District Development Committee meeting convened last weekend, which was presided over by the President.

“Your allocation of district development funds to me and the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) MPs for the development of the Mannar District has been greatly helpful. On behalf of the people of Mannar and all MPs, I extend my heartfelt thanks to you, Mr. President,” Bathiudeen had said.

While the SLMC has maintained that the party will remain in the SJB-led alliance, the ACMC and Bathiudeen have so far not made any commitment on renewing the party’s alliance with the SJB. Instead, Bathiudeen has told his party membership it is better to “wait and see” until the Presidential Election is declared.

Karuna’s support

Meanwhile, former LTTEer and Tamil United Freedom Front (TUFF) Leader, former MP Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan alias Karuna Amman has extended his support to President Wickremesinghe at the next Presidential Election. 

Karuna Amman announced his decision by participating in the opening of the UNP’s new office in Panadura last Wednesday (19). He added that President Wickremesinghe must be appreciated, as he had rebuilt Sri Lanka. 

Loverboy problem

The SJB leadership meanwhile was faced with an unusual problem recently when a young SJB MP representing the Gampaha District was caught with his pants down at the party office.

The incident had taken place when a member of the cleaning staff had walked in on the young MP while engaged in satisfying his carnal desires with a damsel employed at the Party General Secretary’s office at the SJB Head Office.

Opposition and SJB Leader Premadasa’s wife, Jalani, had heard of the incident and lost her cool and had called out the relevant MP, who had profusely apologised for his careless behaviour. However, Premadasa, it is learnt, had downplayed the incident and asked his wife not to make it an issue since it had been an incident between two consenting adults and that no harm had been done. 

The SJB leadership had also pointed out that the relevant MP was one of his loyalists and that he wanted all his loyal MPs around him given the increasing speculation over possible crossovers from the SJB. 

Dullas, Dayasiri to SJB

Discussions between a group of dissidents of the SLPP – Dullas Alahapperuma’s Freedom People’s Council (FPC), former Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) General Secretary Jayasekara, and former Minister Roshan Ranasinghe – and the SJB have progressed on a positive path.

Meanwhile, there are also rumours that the SJB will look at appointing Alahapperuma as the party’s leader in the Matara District. However, several senior SJB MPs have expressed displeasure at the delay in Alahapperuma and several other members from the FPC making a final decision on joining the party. They have claimed that the likes of Alahapperuma and Co. will join the party they deem will stand to win at the elections.

SLFP’s multiple splits

Meanwhile, the SLFP, which is facing multiple splits with at least three factions emerging within the party – the pro-Maithripala Sirisena group, the pro-Nimal Siripala de Silva group, and the pro-Thilanga Sumathipala group – is now looking at supporting different candidates at the Presidential Election.

While the pro-Sirisena and pro-Sumathipala factions are engaged in separate dialogues with the SJB on joining the SJB-led alliance, the pro-de Silva group has already decided to support President Wickremesinghe’s campaign. 

Leader of 1/3rd 

However, amidst the internal battles in the SLFP, the pro-de Silva group last week managed to convene an Executive Committee meeting and confirmed de Silva’s party leadership while Duminda Dissanayake was appointed as the SLFP General Secretary.

Although the pro-Sirisena faction tried to get a court order against the convening of the Executive Committee meeting, courts refused to issue an interim order preventing it.

Nevertheless, the new SLFP Leader will only be leading one-third of the party membership given the current splits within the party ranks. This fact had also figured during an internal discussion of the UNP. 

During the discussion, a senior UNPer had pointed out that although de Silva and his group claimed that President Wickremesinghe would receive the support of the SLFP, the party was now split three ways and the whole SLFP bloc was not likely to join the Wickremesinghe campaign.

Opposing SLPP

Meanwhile, the new alliance formed by a group of SLPP dissidents led by Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, Nimal Lanza, and the SLFP pro-de Silva faction continues to express displeasure over the Rajapaksas and the SLPP joining President Wickremesinghe’s campaign.

Lanza continues to urge that SLPP theoretician Basil Rajapaksa’s involvement in Wickremesinghe’s campaign could have an adverse impact and that the SLPP has also not officially agreed to support Wickremesinghe at the Presidential Election. The Yapa-Lanza alliance has pointed out that there is a massive anti-Rajapaksa sentiment still prevalent in the country and that having them [the Rajapaksas] on stage in the Wickremesinghe campaign can therefore be detrimental.

It is learnt that Lanza had also told members of the new alliance that President Wickremesinghe would still have the edge even if the SLPP fielded the party’s National Organiser Namal Rajapaksa as a candidate at the Presidential Election.

New alliance’s stance

However, given the growing dissention against the Rajapaksas, the new alliance had arrived at some key decisions at its meeting held on Monday (17) at the Presidential Secretariat. The meeting was attended by Yapa, Lanza, Duminda Dissanayake, Sagala Ratnayaka, Wajira Abeywardena, Manusha Nanayakkara, Kanchana Wijesekera, Prasanna Ranatunga, and Mahindananda Aluthgamage.

During the meeting, several alliance members had pointed out that some members of the President’s UNP believed that Wickremesinghe needed the Rajapaksas’ support to win the Presidential Election and were not prepared to heed the points presented against such thinking. Yapa had then noted that members of the new alliance had to reach an important decision on the course of action it would adopt in the event the Rajapaksas expressed support to Wickremesinghe’s campaign.

Lanza had pointed out that crossovers from the SJB would also not happen if the Rajapaksas joined Wickremesinghe’s campaign since they would not agree to sit on the same stage with the Rajapaksas. Yapa had then proposed that the new alliance reach a decision that it would not attend meetings and rallies during the campaign that would be attended by the Rajapaksas.

The Yapa-Lanza alliance, with the support of the SLFP faction, had further noted that they could engage in a separate campaign in support of Wickremesinghe during the Presidential Election without directly joining the President’s campaign. Yapa had pointed out that the campaign proposed by him would be similar to the one carried out by the JVP during the 2015 Presidential Election. 

At the campaign for the Presidential Election in 2015, the JVP did not join the official campaign of the then common candidate, Maithripala Sirisena. Instead, the party carried out a separate campaign where senior JVPers addressed crowds and steered them towards voting for Sirisena.

Basil loses cool

The growing dissention against the Rajapaksas within a group in Wickremesinghe’s camp exploded last week, with Basil losing his cool during a meeting on the President’s campaign.

Following last Monday’s meeting at the Presidential Secretariat on Wickremesinghe’s campaign attended by new alliance members and those of the Government, another meeting was held at the President’s official residence with Basil. This meeting was attended by the UNPers and SLPPers who had attended the previous meeting.

Minister Ranatunga had pointed out that some members in the Wickremesinghe camp were of the view that the Rajapaksas being in the President’s campaign might not bode well for him, especially if the Rajapaksas attended the political rallies.

Basil had lost his cool and said that they [SLPP] too did not want to be a part of Wickremesinghe’s campaign if some members in the camp did not want the SLPP. Basil had also said that the SLPP was also a political party with its own identity and that the party could always make arrangements to field a candidate of its own.

Dhammika moves ahead

After the meeting with Wickremesinghe, Basil had sent out a message to businessman-turned-politician Dhammika Perera to be prepared to hear from the party regarding the Presidential Election.

Perera meanwhile has quietly been engaged in his campaign through his work at DP Education. During a recent event of DP Education held at the Getambe Ground in Kandy, he had spoken of developing the country’s economy and his plans for the country.

He had noted that people required a good system to carry out their work and that the best place to start was at school level. “That’s why I’m spending my personal funds to ensure my vision becomes true. It is only through moulding the younger generation that we can change and develop the country,” he had said.

Perera had also noted that he had already prepared his responses to the 10 conditions presented to him by the SLPP during discussions of naming him as the presidential candidate of the party.

SLPP MP Ranjith Bandara, who is a Basil loyalist, had also attended Perera’s event in Kandy. Perera had stayed at Amaya Hills in Kandy the day prior to the event and after the programme, he had been invited for lunch at Bandara’s Dangolla residence.

During the lunch, several others who had also attended the lunch had asked Bandara if the SLPP had decided to field a candidate at the Presidential Election. Bandara had responded that the party was yet to make a final decision on the matter despite various individuals making statements about the SLPP’s stance.

A question had then been posed to Perera on his views about the SLPP and the Presidential Election. Perera, it is learnt, had said that he had already made sacrifices by entering politics and that he was prepared to abide by the SLPP’s decision.

When asked if Perera was agreeable to become the SLPP’s prime ministerial candidate if President Wickremesinghe was supported by the party at the Presidential Election, the former had smiled and said there was no point talking now about matters that could happen after the Presidential Election.

Rajapaksas meet

Members of the Rajapaksa family had meanwhile met last week after some time. The occasion had been the 75th birthday of former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa (GR).

Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa (MR), Chamal Rajapaksa, Basil, Namal, and the rest of the members of the Rajapaksa family had gathered at GR’s residence for the celebrations. It is learnt that this was the first time that all the Rajapaksas had gathered in this manner since GR left the presidency.

It is learnt that several senior members of the Rajapaksa family had discussed the current political developments during the meeting.

Namal’s stance

While the SLPP remains tight-lipped about the party’s stance at the Presidential Election, Namal continues to maintain that the SLPP should stand by its policies and look at fielding a candidate at the Presidential Election.

However, Namal made an interesting statement yesterday (22). He noted that the SLPP would only field a candidate who would safeguard the party’s policies at the Presidential Election. He added that the SLPP would support a candidate who would stand by its policies and implement them.

Namal’s statement undoubtedly blocks Wickremesinghe since there are obvious clashes between Wickremesinghe’s economic policies and those of the Rajapaksas, especially with regard to economic reforms.

With Opposition parties focusing their attention on the people in the Northern Province, Namal also called on all political parties to refrain from misleading the people of the north and to stop playing with their emotions.

Responding to Premadasa’s recent statement about fully implementing the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, Namal said that parties should work to push for the holding of the delayed Provincial Council Elections before speaking of implementing the 13th Amendment.

The SLPP National Organiser further noted that the 13th Amendment was being used as a political tool in the run-up to any election to attract the people of the north.

Battle for 6.9 million

The SLPP meanwhile is facing a competitor in the form of the newly formed Sarvajana Balaya alliance for the 6.9 million vote base that voted for the Rajapaksas and the SLPP at the last elections. Mawbima Janatha Party (MJP) Leader, businessman-turned-politician Dilith Jayaweera, who is a member of the Sarvajana Balaya, last week accused the Rajapaksas of destroying the hopes of 6.9 million people.

Jayaweera, who played a key role in bringing former President GR to office, said that 6.9 million was not just a number and that it represented those who loved the country. GR was elected to office in 2019 by 6.9 million votes but was eventually forced out of office by mass public protests that spanned several months in 2022.

According to Jayaweera, the new political movement named the Sarvajana Balaya aims to work towards meeting the expectations of the 6.9 million people. The alliance held its first public rally on Tuesday (18) in Nugegoda.

Poster confusion

It was also interesting to see that the Sarvajana Balaya had chosen the same date and venue that was used to launch the ‘Mahinda Sulanga’ campaign in 2016 that witnessed the return of former President MR to the active political stage following his defeat at the 2015 Presidential Election. The pioneers of the ‘Mahinda Sulanga’ campaign, the likes of Wimal Weerawansa and Udaya Gammanpila, are now members of the Sarvajana Balaya. 

However, the Sarvajana Balaya alliance created quite a confusion in the run-up to its maiden rally through its poster campaign. In the run-up to the Nugegoda rally, there was a poster put up in Colombo and its suburbs calling on 6.9 million voters to attend the rally in Nugegoda on 18 June at 2 p.m. The call was obviously for the 6.9 million voters of the SLPP at the last national elections.

Interestingly, a similar poster – with the same design and colours – was put up in 2016 in the run-up to the inaugural ‘Mahinda Sulanga’ rally. The poster in 2016 had called on 5.8 million voters of MR to attend a rally in Nugegoda on the 18th at 2 p.m.

The similarity in the two posters had resulted in many SLPPers asking their party leaders if the party had organised a rally in Nugegoda. However, the SLPP maintains that it is confident of its party members and their continued support for the party.

Changing venue

Meanwhile, the JVP/NPP continues to engage with Sri Lankan expatriates, with large crowds gathering to listen to AKD. The recent visit to the UK by JVP/NPP Leader AKD saw a large number of the Sri Lankan community in the country attending the meeting.

The large crowds that had thronged for the meeting had resulted in the organisers having to change the venue due to a lack of space. AKD was to meet the Sri Lankans at 6.30 (Sri Lanka time) at the Crystal Grand Hall at 3 Bath Rd., Slough near London on 15 June, but the organisers had to make last-minute arrangements to accommodate the large crowds.

Continuing PCs

The JVP/NPP had also made an important statement last week when its Leader AKD stated in London that the JVP/NPP would continue with the existing Provincial Council (PC) system in its current form until a new system was identified to create harmony among the Sinhala, Tamil, and Muslim communities.

The JVP in the past has opposed the 13th Amendment to the Constitution that resulted in the formation of the PC system in Sri Lanka in line with the Indo-Lanka Accord. However, the JVP’s alliance with the NPP has witnessed the Marxist party changing some of its former policies.

According to AKD, the Tamil and Muslim communities believe that the PC is a right that they have won and that scrapping the system will create unnecessary issues. “We will continue the PC system as an interim solution. We believe that it is not a lasting solution. Our policy is to continue the PC system in the current form until a lasting solution is identified,” he said.

‘Aragalaya’ alliance

A new political movement called the ‘People’s Struggle Alliance’ has been launched in anticipation of the next national elections. The political movement consists of an alliance of former student activists, social activists, journalists, and political parties. 

Youth for Change National Organiser and ‘Aragalaya’ activist Lahiru Weerasekara, former Convenor of the Inter-University Student’s Federation (IUSF) Wasantha Mudalige, key Leader of the Frontline Socialist Party (FSP) and lawyer Nuwan Bopage, Tharindu Uduwaragedara of the Young Journalists’ Association, the FSP, and the New Democratic Marxist-Leninist Party are among the members of the new political movement.

However, the alliance has refrained from stating whether it will field a candidate at the upcoming Presidential Election and who that candidate would be.