UNP Working Committee green lights Swan symbol for alliance

• Sajith Premadasa to lead alliance
• Ranjith Madduma Bandara selected as General Secretary 
• UNP awaiting feedback from Elections Commission
• Change of symbol when election is gazetted

The United National Party (UNP) yesterday decided to contest the upcoming General Elections under the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) alliance and the ‘Swan’ symbol. 

The decision was reached at a Working Committee meeting held last morning where Parliamentarian Ranjith Madduma Bandara was selected as the General Secretary of the SJB which will be led by Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa.  

MP Madduma Bandara

A senior UNP source told the Daily FT that there was broad consensus for both decision with only a handful of committee members voicing alternate views. 

Subsequently, lawyers representing the UNP moved to finalise matters pertaining to the new coalition and the symbol at the Elections Commission.

The move comes as the divisions within the party has plagued progress in the build-up to the General Elections.  

The UNP is awaiting feedback from the Elections Commission on the symbol and will make necessary perpetration to move forward with the alliance, MP Lakshman Kiriella told the Daily FT. “‘As far as we are concerned, there was a meeting of minds and we will contest under the SJB alliance under the Swan symbol and Sajith as the leader,” he said. 

UNP General Secretary Akila Viraj Kariyawasam, MP Ravi Karunanayake and SJB General Secretary Ranjith Madduma Bandara had met with officials at the Elections Commission following the decision and discussed the change of Symbols for the alliance. 

“We spoke to the Election Commissioner and there seems to be no issues with the change in the symbol, when the General Election is officially notified we will take action to change the symbol (to the Swan) and proceed accordingly,” said MP Madduma Bandara.