UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe was a noticeable absentee at the SJB launch yesterday. Wickremesinghe fronted a late night press conference on Sunday to announce that the party cannot give its Elephant symbol to be used by another alliance.

 He told the press that a majority of the WC had decided to contest under the Elephant symbol. 

The special Working Committee meeting on Sunday came in the backdrop of several previous meetings failing to reach a consensus on different issues related to the SJB and its composition. 

The tug of war between Wickremesinghe and Premadasa for the control of the UNP began before the Presidential Elections last year. 

Samagi Jana Balawegaya debuts amidst symbol doubts