NPP seeks support from TPA members at the District level: Mano

• Says TPA and other opposition parties scheduled to meet Opposition Leader today
• We cannot adopt one policy at the district level and follow another at the national level

By Yohan Perera   

The National People’s Power (NPP) has approached Tamil Progressive Alliance (TPA) members at district level seeking their support to form administrations of local bodies where they do not have majority support, TPA Leader Mano Ganesan said yesterday.   

“We discussed how we could form the administrations of local bodies where the opposition has managed to win a majority. We have decided to meet Mr. Premadasa today,” Mr. Ganesan told the media.   

“The NPP has approached members of our party in a certain district. This is natural, but we have not made any decision to form joint administrations with the NPP. We cannot adopt one policy at the district level and follow another at the national level,” he said, ruling out any alliance with the NPP.   

However, he said his party would also meet Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa in Colombo today, together with other opposition parties. “We will meet today for further discussions on forming administrations in local bodies where opposition parties hold a majority,” he told the media.   

“We don’t intend to create issues in the local bodies where the government commands a majority. Therefore, the government does not have to be worried about what we intend to do,” he added. 

Mr. Ganesan said the decision to meet Opposition Leader Premadasa was made during a meeting among opposition representatives held at a hotel on Thursday night.   

People’s Alliance General Secretary Lasantha Alagiyawanna also told the media that all opposition parties should unite to form administrations in local bodies where they hold a majority, in line with the mandate given by the people at the local government election. “We will continuously work towards forming joint opposition administrations in local bodies,” he said.   

Meanwhile, Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) General Secretary Ranjith Madduma Bandara said his party will continue to work with other opposition parties. “I could not attend yesterday’s meeting as I had other appointments. However, our party will work with other opposition parties to see how we could work together in local bodies,” he told the Daily Mirror.