RW, Namal and others agree to form joint local administrations

Party leaders believe the law permits opposition parties to form administrations in local bodies if they have secured a greater number of seats in a given council  

According to Mr. Fernando, general secretaries of opposition parties are expected to begin another round of talks today

By Yohan Perera  

Opposition party leaders yesterday decided to cast away their differences and work in unison to form administrations in more than 115 local bodies where they command a majority of seats.   

SLPP National Organizer Namal Rajapaksa, Nimal Siripala de Silva, Anura Priyadharshana Yapa of PA , SJB MP Nalin Bandara Jayamaha and SLPP General Secretary Duminda Dissanayake, Pivithuru Hela Urmumaya leader Udaya Gammanpila, TPA leader Mano Ganesan and Deputy Leader P. Digambaram and CWC Secretary Jeewan Thondaman met Mr. Wickremesinghe and decided to collaborate in local government bodies.   

UNP General Secretary Talatha Athukorala, National Organizer Sagala Ratnayake and Harin Fernando represented the UNP and accompanied Mr. Wickremesinghe in talks with other parties.  

According to Mr. Fernando, general secretaries of opposition parties are expected to begin another round of talks today. “All the parties have agreed to work together in local bodies as all of them are on an anti-NPP line,” Mr. Fernando told the Daily Mirror.   

Party leaders believe the law permits opposition parties to form administrations in local bodies if they have secured a greater number of seats in a given council.   

Meanwhile, it was reported that some parties and independent groups which contested for the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) are yet to decide whom they will support.   

Independent Group 5, which secured two seats in the CMC, is leaning toward forming a joint opposition alliance to form an administration in the council. Sri Lanka People’s Party leader Srinath Perera stated that his party has yet to decide on a stance.