Weerawansa-led independent parties form new political alliance 

• ‘Uttara Lanka Sabhagaya’ launches with Weerawansa as Chairman
• People will politically annihilate larger parties, warns Weerawansa
• Says era of nepotism has now ended in Sri Lanka

Independent parties in Parliament formed a new political alliance titled ‘Uttara Lanka Sabhagaya’ or the Supreme Lanka Coalition at an event held at the National Youth Centre in Maharagama yesterday. 

National Freedom Front Leader Parliamentarian Wimal Weerawansa was appointed as its Chairman while Communist Party of Sri Lanka General Secretary Dr. G. Weerasinghe was appointed as its Secretary. The alliance consists of 11 political parties that are independent of the Government. 

At the event, Weerawansa said larger political parties should make note of 4 September as it marks a new political beginning. “They have always thought of us as smaller parties that do not matter. But by the end of this, the larger parties will be made insignificant, while we the parties they thought as small will be made the victors by the country’s people,” he said. “The seeds that will one day defeat all major parties have been sown today,” he added. Weerawansa also said the era of nepotism and familial political dynasties has now ended in Sri Lanka. 

Meanwhile, Democratic Left Front Leader former Minister Vasudeva Nanayakkara was announced as its National Organiser. Pivithuru Hela Urumaya Leader Udaya Gammanpila and Sri Lanka Sama Samaja Party General Secretary Prof. Tissa Vitharana will function as the new alliance’s Deputy Chairpersons while Yuthukama Organisation President MP Gevindu Kumarasinghe was appointed as its Deputy Secretary. MP Athuraliye Rathana Thera will take up an advisory role in the alliance. 

In addition to this, an Executive Council has been appointed to represent all parties of the independent party alliance. Its members include among others; National Freedom Front National Organiser Jayantha Samaraweera, NFF MP Mohamed Muzammil and Weerasumana Weerasinghe of the Sri Lanka Communist Party. Following the unveiling of the new alliance, the leaders of the collective of independent parties also signed the policy statement of the coalition.