Friday Jan 31, 2025
Friday Jan 31, 2025
Friday, 31 January 2025 04:10 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
SJB General Secretary Ranjith Madduma Bandara
After having successful rounds of discussions for a merger between the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) and United National Party (UNP), the two parties continued to discuss possibilities of bringing both parties under a strong alliance.
The two special committees appointed by both parties to discuss merging them together by ironing out differences between them had met in Colombo, yesterday evening.
SJB General Secretary Ranjith Madduma Bandara, who heads the five-member team of negotiators from the SJB, told the Daily FT that the two committees would meet for the fourth time yesterday and discuss several key issues and how the two sides would face forthcoming local government polls.
“We had fruitful discussions so far. We are now mainly looking at possibilities of contesting under an alliance in the next local government elections,” he said. Bandara said that they had the blessings of both party leaders – Ranil Wickremesinghe and Sajith Premadasa – but neither of them had participated in the discussions yet. “The two committees are still discussing whether they will contest local government elections separately or contest together in some of the local government bodies”, he said.
According to the SJB General Secretary, the proposals made in previous discussions would be reviewed with both party leaders and their opinions would be taken into consideration in yesterday’s meeting.
