NFF will not contest in upcoming poll to safeguard national interests – Wimal Weerawansa

 Former MP Wimal Weerawansa

• Claims some opposition forces are serving an imperial agenda aimed at sabotaging President Anura Kumara Dissanayake
• Says NFF is committed to safeguarding the mandate that brought President Dissanayake to power and fulfilling expectations of the people
• Stresses decision not to participate in upcoming poll was made after consultations with all levels of the NFF

National Freedom Front (NFF), led by former MP Wimal Weerawansa, has recently announced that it will not contest the upcoming General Elections, either independently or as part of an alliance. In a statement issued yesterday, Weerawansa emphasised that the decision is rooted in the party’s commitment to safeguarding the country from political instability and crisis.

Weerawansa alleged that certain opposition forces are working towards an “imperial agenda hostile to the country” with the intent of turning President Anura Kumara Dissanayake into the “second Gotabaya Rajapaksa”. He firmly said that neither he nor the NFF would contribute to making Sri Lanka more vulnerable by aligning with such forces.

“As a political movement grounded in anti-imperialist values and inheriting the legacy of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), we are committed to defending the mandate that brought President Dissanayake to power,” Weerawansa said. He further highlighted the party’s responsibility to meet the expectations of the people who supported the President’s rise.

Weerawansa explained that the NFF’s decision not to contest is aimed at ensuring that President Dissanayake secures a Parliamentary majority without being forced to rely on the support of coalition partners, which could compromise his ability to govern effectively. He noted that the party’s influence outside Parliament is more significant and impactful than participating within it. 

Weerawansa stressed that the decision had been made after thorough consultations at all levels of the party. He also mentioned that the NFF will soon issue a policy statement regarding the upcoming elections, further detailing their political stance. 

Weerawansa, a former member of the JVP politburo, has long been a vocal critic of both imperialist influence in Sri Lankan politics and the current opposition’s political manoeuvring. After falling out with JVP leadership in 2008, he was suspended from the party and went on to form the NFF.