By Safrah Fazal in The Morning, Dec 12, 2022
Amidst discussions pertaining to Local Government (LG) elections in March next year, the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) met with nine constituent parties last Saturday (10) on preliminary discussions into plans on regrouping and facing future elections.
Speaking to the media following the meeting, SLPP MP Namal Rajapaksa stated that discussions mainly centred on how the SLPP can rebuild as an alliance in the face of future elections and added that parties that are still with the SLPP wish to move forward with it as the mother party.
“Taking into account the county’s present situation, if there should be any change in our political approach and in our policies, we will pay heed to those and discuss them accordingly. In time, we will have lengthy discussions on facing an election if such is to be held.
“As an alliance, we have parties that have broken off and those that still remain with us. We will converse with them openly about how we can face future elections,” he added.
Responding to a question on the opposition that the SLPP received in the recent past, he said: “We have to decide if we want to change governments through ‘aragalaya’ (struggle) movements or change such through elections. Governments in this country should be changed through the democratic process, i.e., through elections. So when we have an election, people can go ahead and vote for the party and candidate of their choice.”
Also speaking to the media following the meeting, SLPP General Secretary Sagara Kariyawasam noted that the SLPP aims to provide a stronger youth representation in future elections. He also added that while nine registered parties took part in the discussions, six others who have made requests to join the discussions will be summoned for future discussions.
Speaking further, Kariyawasam said: “We are ready to face any election as a party. We are certain that we will win. Even the next Government will be an SLPP Government. In the LG elections, the vast majority will be SLPP members. The public hasn’t rejected us. One should understand that in the Presidential election, while 6.9 million voted for us, 4.2 million voted against us.
“Just because 50,000-100,000 people stepped out on the street, our voting base is not lost, nor will we lose it. When we went to the villages, we clearly saw our strength there. Our foundation is still very strong. We are certain that we can win any future election with a great margin and re-establish the SLPP’s strength because the public’s trust is in the SLPP, as it is the only people’s party in this country.”
When questioned on SLPP Founder and National Organiser Basil Rajapaksa’s involvement in the elections, Kariyawasam noted: “He is contributing actively to the party’s political activities. His standpoint at present is that he would not join the Government, but will provide his maximum support to the party.”
https://www.themorning.lk/articles/jErNrrfzCxxE28RJvFQc
