Main political parties to hold online May Day rallies tomorrow

The main political parties have decided to hold online May Day rallies tomorrow (May 1) while the usual processions and large rallies have been banned because of the current pandemic situation.

JVP Propaganda Secretary Vijitha Herath said his party will hold an online meeting that will go live on social media. “We have decided to confine our May Day rally to an online meeting considering the current situation. However we are concerned about the workers losing their right to commemorate the day dedicated to their rights," he said.

Front Line Socialist Party Secretary Education Affairs Pubudu Jayagoda said his party will hold an online May Day rally tomorrow. “We are not in a position to hold a May Day rally tomorrow but we will have an online meeting which will go live on social media," he said.

Samagi Jana Balawegaya General Secretary Ranjith Madduma Bandara said his party too will have an online May Day rally.

UNP General Secretary Palitha Range Bandara said in a press release that his party had cancelled everything pertaining to May Day. "UNP earlier decided to have a small scale rally at Jathika Sevaka Sangamaya but decided to cancel it following the advice of party leader Ranil Wickremesinghe."

The ruling SLPP also decided not to have any May Day-related event because of the current situation. Party Secretary MP Sagara Kariyawasam said the party will strictly follow health guidelines and will refrain from conducting any event related to May Day.

"We will only issue a message," he said. (Yohan Perera)