News
UNP and SJB feel the stones to cross the river
View(s):By Kasun Warakapitiya
As the United National Party (UNP) and the Samagi Jana Balawegya (SJB) moved closer to working out an alliance, after being separate for more than five years, members of the two parties have reacted.
Senior members, party organisers, and ground-level supporters are enthusiastic but note that there are several outstanding issues.
Rivalry between UNP and SJB members has been one of the main concerns, but finalising nomination lists for provincial elections would be a key issue, they point out.
However, most party members agree that supporters want the UNP and the SJB to work together and need to temporarily put aside their differences to take a stand against the government.
The UNP named a three-member committee for discussions with the SJB. It comprises UNP Deputy Leader Ruwan Wijewardena, general secretary Thalatha Athukorala and President’s Counsel Ronald Perera.
The SJB, too, appointed a committee the previous week.
SJB Leader Sajith Premadasa has expressed his views about working together with the UNP.
The SJB committee led by Kegalle District legislator Kabir Hashim has been asked to draft the proposal and guidelines for working together with the UNP. Eran Wickremeratne, S.M. Mariikar and Mujibur Rahman are members of the committee.
Mr Marikkar told the Sunday Times it is still early and that proposals of the committee have to be approved by the management committee next week, and then they have to be acknowledged by the management committee.
The UNP needs to agree to the proposal and guidelines on how to get the two parties to work together.
A cross section of party members said since parliamentary and presidential elections would take place only in another four years, there are no issues regarding leadership. The UNP or the SJB would not need to immediately address the leadership issue.
But both parties want to gain more votes by working together at the provincial elections.
A cross section of SJB members claim that nearly 99% of supporters at the ground level want the parties to join, but the parties want to maintain their own identities.
UNP members are of the view that they should have their way, being the main opposition party. Others are sceptical.
UNP member Ashu Marasinghe said that he is unsure of an alliance, as both parties are only appointing committees and wasting time. “If there is a real concern of working together, they would do so as soon as possible; this is a move to mislead the people,” he said.
SJB member Hector Appuhami said supporters expect both parties to work together. People accept it, and what remains is for the higher-ups of both parties to get together.
SJB member Harshana Rajakaruna said it is likely that the parties would sign a memorandum of understanding and create an alliance respecting each party and maintaining their own identities.
He said the party has grassroots-level strength, as they have formed local councils. That strength could be improved by working together with the UNP. This would give a boost to the right-wing political camp. The two groups with similar ideas could create one strong camp.
“The supporters call for the parties to join. If our parties had worked together during the last presidential election, the president would have been elected from our camp, as both parties’ votes are greater than the vote obtained by Anura Kumara Dissanyake,’ he said.
UNP member Dr Rajitha Senaratne noted he had openly said that people are strongly calling for the UNP and SJB to work together.
“The grassroots members have no problem when two parties join; the problem is with the leaders. But, I have told Sajith that for only this time we should go with Ranil Wickremesinghe,” he said.
Dr Senaratne said that he personally has no issue working with SJB members, and every member of each party should work together, putting aside their personal issues and grievances to unite against political victimisation and to protect democracy.
But these sentiments were not shared by some SJB legislators.
Kalutara legislator Jagath Vithana said that he had openly told the leader that he is not willing to work with his rival Rajitha Senaratne because he had betrayed supporters.
He explained that his supporters would never agree to working together with his rival; therefore, the leader should set some ground rules as well as some mechanisms to make sure UNPers would not have their own way by submitting nomination lists and using their party to gain votes.
UNP member Bandula Lal Bandarigoda believes there would not be any issues among organisers about the parties working together. But they would discuss how they would join and face elections.
Mr Bandarigoda said politicians must respect people’s expectations.
The best way to say that you found the home of your dreams is by finding it on Hitad.lk. We have listings for apartments for sale or rent in Sri Lanka, no matter what locale you're looking for! Whether you live in Colombo, Galle, Kandy, Matara, Jaffna and more - we've got them all!