President Maithripala Sirisena-led Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapaksa-led Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) are to hold a decisive discussion tomorrow (27) on forming a political alliance.
This time around, the SLPP team at the discussion is to be led by SLPP National Organiser Basil Rajapaksa and is to include party Chairman Prof. G.L. Peiris and MP Dullas Alahapperuma. Rajapaksa will replace Jagath Wellawatte, who participated in the previous SLFP-SLPP discussions.
The SLFP team will consist of SLFP General Secretary MP Dayasiri Jayasekara, United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) General Secretary MP Mahinda Amaraweera, and MP Lasantha Alagiyawanna.
Jayasekara says the discussion on Tuesday would likely be the final discussion since the outcome of the meeting would form the base for the discussion between Sirisena and Rajapaksa that will be held this week to reach a final decision on the proposed alliance.
Meanwhile, Alahapperuma says that since the policies and structure of the proposed alliance had already been discussed between the two parties at previous discussions, Tuesday’s meeting would focus on finalising these issues and forming the base for the party leaders’ discussion.
However, the final decision on the proposed alliance would be made by the two party leaders – Sirisena and Rajapaksa.
SLPP alliance
Meanwhile, the political alliance that was mooted by the SLPP with political parties represented in the “Joint Opposition” in Parliament is to be formed next month.
A senior SLPP member said the alliance will be named Sri Lanka Podujana Sandhanaya and will be formed in the last week of September or by the first week of October at the latest.
The final decision on forming the alliance was reached at a meeting held last Tuesday (20) under the patronage of SLPP Chairman Prof. G.L. Peiris. MPs Dullas Alahapperuma, Dinesh Gunawardena, Wimal Weerawansa, Vasudeva Nanayakkara, and many others had attended the meeting.
All party leaders have approved the draft constitution of the proposed alliance at the meeting.
The SLPP source said that 13 political parties are to form the proposed alliance out of which seven parties are currently represented in Parliament.
