Leaders of the Joint Opposition have decided to boycott the meeting today (26) which was to be held at Mahinda’s Rajapaksa’s home on Wijerama Mawatha where they were to sign agreement with other joint opposition parties.
Secretary of the SLPP Sagara Kariyawasam had invited the other party leaders. However, following a lengthy discussion yesterday evening the JO has decided to not attend the event where the agreement was to be signed.
According to JO leaders, the decision was made in opposition to the SLPP deciding to sign agreements with individual parties and not forming a broad coalition. As a result, eight parties including the Mahajana Eksath Peramuna, Jathika Nidahas Peramuna, Lanka Samasamaja Party, Pivithuru Hela Urumaya, Sri Lanka Communist Party, Sri Lanka Mahajana Party and the Democratic Leftists Party has decided to boycott the event.
Meanwhile, Former Minister H.L.M Athaulla and Prabha Ganesan have decided to skip the event as well.
Basil on a lone mission without Wimal and Udaya!
Meanwhile, the SLPP and other parties have commenced discussions to initiate a long term plan for future elections. Accordingly, the EPDP, Sri Lanka Communist Party have held several discussions yesterday at the SLPP head office.
The policy framework will seek to put into action proposed by the SLPP and other supporting parties through the 26 Specialist committee and “Gama Samaga Pilisandarak” programme in villages. It has been agreed that other parties would present their proposals in writing and name their representatives for the committees.
They have also decided to focus on agreements against the country, privatization of public property and other decisions adverse to the country.
The EPDP was represented by Douglas Devnanda and the Communist Party was represented by D.E.W Gunasekara while the SLPP was represented by the SLPP founder Basil Rajapaksa, Secretary Sagara Kariyawasam, MP Anura Priyadarshana Yapa and a number of other party stalwarts.
