SLPP calls on SLFP to back anti-UNP front

• Says beating UNP more important than which party gets presidential candidacy

By Nuwan Senarathna

Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) yesterday called on the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) to prioritise building a united front with the SLPP to contest against the United National Party (UNP) at an upcoming election, and back a common Presidential candidate.  

The talks between SLFP and SLPP commenced on 14 March, and during the discussion, both parties had found common ground to form a broader alliance against UNP. However, key members of the SLPP have repeatedly said that a Presidential candidate should be picked by the SLPP. The SLFP, however, has steadfastly said that President Maithripala Sirisena would be their Presidential candidate. 

Facing an impasse, SLPP officials on Tuesday called on the SLFP to focus on building an anti-UNP coalition, and pick a candidate that both parties could agree on, pushing the issue of Presidential candidate onto the backburner. The SLPP insisted that fielding separate candidates would be an advantage to the UNP, and the SLFP should join the SLPP to build a coalition that would set policies both parties could back.   

“If SLFP wants to remain as a viable political party, they have to choose the anti-UNP camp which we are also part of. If they are seen as a party partial to the UNP, I do not think the SLFP will be able to survive as a political party,” MP Anura Priyadarshana Yapa told reporters at SLPP head office in Battaramulla.

He noted the key factor in winning the Presidential election, which is likely to be held at the end of this year, would be to form an alliance against the UNP that could get the support of the masses. He pointed out that only two strong camps will be able to compete with each other at the upcoming Presidential Election, as otherwise the traditional vote bases of the UNP and SLFP would be too fragmented to result in a clear winner.  

“There can be only two movements. One will be the UNP. We are attempting to form a large movement to counter the UNP. Given the traditional make-up of Sri Lanka’s vote base, there can only be two camps, as otherwise the vote would be too fragmented,” he added.

However, Yapa did not rule out the possibility of naming a member of the Rajapaksa family as the Presidential candidate, and insisted that regardless of the candidate, the name would have to be approved by Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Referring to statements of SLFP General Secretary MP Dayasiri Jayasekara’s on naming SLFP Presidential candidate, Yapa also claimed the statement made by Jayasekara contradicts the party’s opinion on Presidential candidate. He noted senior members of SLFP, who represent the Central Committee of the party, had not made any statement on naming an SLFP Presidential candidate.

“Jayasekara’s statement does not reflect the party’s opinion at all, even President Maithripala Sirisena has not made any statement on the Presidential candidate,” he added. The second round of the SLFP and SLPP talks will be held on 21 March.