NPP members in Norwood PS break away over chairman resignation dispute

Colombo, June 30 (Daily Mirror) - All six members of the National People’s Power (NPP) representing the Norwood Pradeshiya Sabha have announced their decision to serve as independent members, protesting the party’s demand that newly elected Chairman John Francis Allen resign from his post.

Allen was elected Chairman with the backing of five members from the Tamil Progressive Alliance, securing 12 votes in an election. His opponent, Kanapathi Kulandaivel Ravi of the Ceylon Workers’ Congress (CWC), received 7 votes only.

The breakaway members claim they were pressured then by a senior NPP leader in Nuwara Eliya, Manjula Suraweerarachchi, who reportedly objected to Allen’s election and demanded his resignation. They allege threats and coercion were used to force compliance with party instructions.

The NPP had reportedly reached an earlier agreement to allow the CWC to take the Chairmanship while the Vice Chairmanship would go to the NPP. However, the NPP members of the Pradeshiya Sabha argue that Allen’s election with the support of opposition members was a result of internal dynamics and was not a breach of party discipline.