Opposition parties in closed door talks to capture CMC

12 May 2025 06:59 am Views - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}} 36 Bookmark

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Colombo, May 12 (Daily Mirror) - The leaders of the opposition parties including former President Ranil Wickremesinghe and Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) National Organizer Namal Rajapaksa have started talks to work out an understanding to capture the power of the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC), a political source.

The number of members elected on the tickets of parties belonging to the opposition and various independent groups is higher than the number elected on the NPP ticket.

In such a situation, the NPP, despite being the single highest taker of votes, cannot nominate its mayor . Instead, mayor should be appointed in a secret ballot on the first sitting day with majority approval. The NPP is also involved in roping in members to secure a majority.

A top source close to Mr. Wickremesinghe is now in talks with the parties to secure a majority to appoint the mayor.

Meanwhile, Daily Mirror learns that there are differences within the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) over the nominee for mayor at this hour. The SJB secured the second highest number of members at the recent election and therefore is slated to get the mayors post with an understanding among the opposition parties and independent groups.

Comments - 36

Steve Monday, 12 May 2025 07:10 AM

Trying to keep the corrupt forces in power.

9 62

Morton Joe Monday, 12 May 2025 11:11 PM

All the senile crooks under guidance of RW and Namal are joining forces to rob and bring the country down again.

0 0

down under Monday, 12 May 2025 07:30 AM

Very simple, its battle between former crooks Vs the ones who are trying to get rid of deep rooted corruption, bribing, wasters of public money.

8 64

Jude Monday, 12 May 2025 07:43 AM

Can't understand how Ranil is calling the shots!??? He's still doing wheeling and dealing, yeah.

6 53

Sambo Monday, 12 May 2025 07:44 AM

RW will not mind even to wash toilets at the Colombo municipal Council as long as he can hang on to power. Such a glut.

10 58

Lock Monday, 12 May 2025 07:47 AM

Counting money calling other members for the deal good show. DOORS ARE CLOSED FOR FIVE YEARS.

4 28

Jude Monday, 12 May 2025 08:01 AM

If you look at the Demographics of Colombo city it's majority consist of Muslims then Tamils and Sinhalese are the least amount in Colombo city. In that situation hardly NPP have a chance to come on top.!!!

31 14

Nihal Monday, 12 May 2025 08:14 AM

Why didn't they get together before the elections under one party at least for Colombo CMC? Going to the people against each other for the votes, and then joining together (for which people have not voted for) just to get positions is not right.

5 36

Rip Winkle Monday, 12 May 2025 08:27 AM

Misfits meet. Lock the door and throw away the keys.

3 27

wickrama Wijayasiri Monday, 12 May 2025 08:33 AM

What a bunch of clowns. what do they expect to achieve. Is RW trying to become the Mayor? It is usually "from a Jack to a King" not "from a King to a Joker". Contracts for their cronies, I presume.

5 34

Joshua Monday, 12 May 2025 08:41 AM

Gathering of thieves and protector of theives. Great for CMC.

3 29

This is reality Monday, 12 May 2025 08:46 AM

The foundation is being laid (very good) but after a while the cracks will start showing. In the language of politicians there are no permanent friends or permanent enemies.

1 19

Hadi Monday, 12 May 2025 09:00 AM

When voters rejected Government by voting more votes to the collective opposition, democracy is to select a MAYOR representing total public vote count IGNORING number of seats method.

17 13

Real logic Monday, 12 May 2025 01:59 PM

What logic. The voters did not reject NPP but rejected each of the others collectively. Each of the losers lost to NPP and the losers who were with differing manifests get together to deal and steal cmc funds.

8 12

Jude Monday, 12 May 2025 09:03 AM

You can rule out NPP Mayor in CMC.

17 13

Mizaru Monday, 12 May 2025 09:14 AM

Ali Baba is having a meeting with his thieves?

6 40

Bernard Jayatilake Monday, 12 May 2025 09:30 AM

There is no necessity to close doors and hold secret talks as the people have mandated the NPP with majority of members in most of the local council elections contested including the CMC which is the jewel on the throne lost by the UNP after 50 years and trying to cobble together heterogenous political parties with divergent policies is not acceptable given the present political atmosphere and if the SJB strikes a deal with other opposition political parties it would spell doom for the party with dilution of its vote base as all the other parties in the coalition deal had been rejected by the electorate.

10 28

OVER TO SAJITH, FOOD FOR THOUGHT Monday, 12 May 2025 04:22 PM

IF SJB VOTES WITH RW AND HIS CLAN OF CORRUPT STOOGES, REST ASSURED SJB WILL BE WIPED OUT TOO AT THE NEXT EMECTIONS.

6 6

D P P Prasad Monday, 12 May 2025 09:53 AM

This is not democracy. The highest number of councillors are from the NPP. Thus the NPP has secured the confidence of the majority. Even though the SJB is grabbing the power of the municipality in collaboration with other political parties that obtained fewer councillors it will be anomalous and unreasonable. Further if the SJB is making arrangements to form the municipality along with the UNP and SLPP. the SJB as well as SLPP will lose the confidence and the faith being kept by the people who cast their votes in favour SJB and SLPP respectively On the other hand the ruling government never allows the SJB to make a coalition council along with either the UNP or any other party and eventually the formation of the council will be more chaotic

8 24

lion Monday, 12 May 2025 10:29 AM

Give the priority those who have got majority of seats. That is the democracy , sad that RW who hails democracy is joining to destroy it.

6 24

joshua Monday, 12 May 2025 11:15 AM

How does he hail democracy when he protected the Rajapakshes? But your point on majority is correct

1 16

nizam Monday, 12 May 2025 01:20 PM

this is hypocrisy not democracy. All parties should accept defeat. None are capable. Losing almost 1.8m votes in 6 months is also incapability.

2 8

Gabriella Monday, 12 May 2025 10:34 AM

His Excellency President Ranil Wickremasinghe Executive Chairman of Colombo WC. The man always needed a title !

2 12

Kandy Man Monday, 12 May 2025 10:37 AM

What an opposition! Disrespecting the peoples mandate and compromising their own principals and policies just to grab power! Such a mutant CMC will be more corrupt than before. Poor Colombo Citizens.

3 19

rohan Monday, 12 May 2025 11:25 AM

if the NPP did the legal changes to the local govt act before having this election ,this situation could have been avoided .NPP was in a hurry to finish all the elections and get down to work and it has created issues .Further muslim concentrated areas in colombo and the east have not voted in large numbers to NPP as done in the presidential and General election

1 11

Prasanna Lokugamage Monday, 12 May 2025 12:28 PM

How democratic is the behind the door deals to form councils after campaigning separately? Clearly, this is violation of public mandate as the arrangements post election would not be based on policies but rather on power and posts. Had these parties had policy alignment they could have campaigned as a coalition with common policies. These kind of local governments formed by collective of parties with only policy is to hang on to power would do little work for the public.

2 7

Ylg Monday, 12 May 2025 12:31 PM

I do not want a minority mayor. Aragalaya please.

3 7

Labby Monday, 12 May 2025 01:53 PM

Didn't the NPP always say that they will not take in anyone from other parties or groups? Haven't they openly said that except the Malimawa all others are 'rogues'. So now if they too are in discussion with others in an attempt to form an administration at the CMC they are nothing but utter hypocrites. The credibility of the NPP is fast fading. Within the first 6 months of their governance they have lost 2 million of those who voted for them.

5 6

Francis Monday, 12 May 2025 07:10 PM

NPP will lose more votes as times go by and when Provincial Council election comes in they will vote more than 75 per cent of the votes they received. Partly because of the promises given before the election as well as cheating Muslim population who stood by them by not giving even a single ministerial portfolio. AKD will learn the hard way. Even majority Sinhala Communities too are surprised and shares the disappointment of Muslims. There is still time to do damage control ALD

2 0

SODHA Monday, 12 May 2025 02:36 PM

All the losers are planning to get together. Rejected by the people, but still want positions

2 5

CitizenP Monday, 12 May 2025 02:41 PM

Corrupt forces in closed doors....

1 5

Lankan Monday, 12 May 2025 03:13 PM

Shame on RW. 'Learn or depart' your school moto.

2 3

Naushad Farouque Samoon Monday, 12 May 2025 04:03 PM

The BLACK LEGS are clamouring to derail the country's progress in Colombo. I still cant understand them .they caused the economic turmoil in the country. The General Public have understood the calamity and voted to disown these people and voted NPP in large numbers ??? The Black legs have no Mandate to dictate any of their Agenda , But join hands with NPP to promote culture of Harmony and get over crisis of economic failure in Colombo and to promote a unified local councillor amity. The council constitution has a error in its interpretation either change or keep it and make progress and give NPP as the rightful victor of the Colombo Local Election and to rally to promote a joint progressive agenda for Colombo.??? Thank you ( Jaya weva)

2 3

Bernard Jayatilake Monday, 12 May 2025 06:17 PM

RW approved compensation to anyone in the SLPP on the pretext of their alleged damaged houses but this is not real, as even former Pradeshiya Sabha Chirmen of SLPP have received massive compensation as a gratitude for campaigning for the infamous Gas Cylinder and this closed door meeting is to renew and consolidate their collaboration and if the major opposition party, SJB accepts and acquiesce to this secret deal, which is a ruse, simply to grab power of the local council bodies, their popularity would be greatly diminished and to preserve their identity and consolidate their power base, they should refrain from joining hands with rogues.

0 1

Pantha Kumaran Monday, 12 May 2025 08:03 PM

Power thirsty crooks are getting together to rob Colombo. Enough is enough

0 1

Foot note Monday, 12 May 2025 08:12 PM

This proves that there is no value in elections without scraping this constitution. All parties want to hold on to power somehow. NPP also doing the same thing trapped in this system they desperately wanted to be changed over decades....

2 0

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