The proposed political alliance between the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), will be introduced within a month, following the successful discussions recently, UPFA parliamentarian Vasudewa Nanayakkara told the Sunday Observer yesterday.
“We started the process and we have made much headway after the very first meeting. We now expect a report from the technical committee in a month and we could introduce the new alliance”, he said.
A group of politicians of the UPFA and SLPP including the Leader of the Opposition Mahinda Rajapaksa met President Maithripala Sirisena on February 6 at the President’s official residence at Mahagamasekara Mawatha, Colombo 7. SLPP Chairman Prof. GL Peiris, MPs Dayasiri Jayasekara, Mahinda Amaraweera, Dinesh Gunawardena, Prof. Tissa Vitharana, Vasudeva Nanayakkara, Douglas Devananda, Wimal Weerawansa, Udaya Gammanpila and A.L.M. Athaulla also participated.
The national organiser of the SLPP Basil Rajapaksa had not participated in the meeting.
The technical committee headed by UPFA parliamentarian Dullas Alahapperuma comprises MPs Dayasiri Jayasekara, Thilanga Sumathipala, A.H.M. Athaulla and Douglas Devananda. Udaya Gammanpila was appointed as the Convenor of the committee. The committee has been assigned the task of compiling the technical report within the next two weeks.
“The technical report will focus on the character, structure, constitutional aspects and the hierarchical model of the alliance. We will then address the political issues and can finalise it thereafter”, said Nanayakkara.
“The new alliance should be formed prior to the Provincial Council elections. We will later decide as to how we should contest the PC polls,” he said.
Soon after the Supreme Court judgment in December last year and the swearing-in of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, the SLFP and the SLPP held discussions on forming a broader political alliance.
Despite the recent announcement that President Sirisena would be the next Presidential candidate from the SLFP, both parties are now holding talks to field a single candidate for the next Presidential election.
President Sirisena, Leader of the Opposition Mahinda Rajapaksa and other key committee members of the technical committee are due to meet again on February 15.