Ranil, Sajith mark New Year with telephone conversation

• SJB says UNP and SJB will form an alliance at the right time
• Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa could lead a UNP - SJB alliance with former President Ranil Wickremesinghe as patron
• The party is prepared to work with the UNP while maintaining its own identity
• Mr. Wickremesinghe could play a role using his experience and knowledge in politics

By Yohan Perera  

Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa and former President Ranil Wickremesinghe marked the New Year with a telephone conversation where both exchanged well wishes  Sources from the office of Mr. Wickremesinghe confirmed that both had a phone conversation but it was confined only to wishing each other for the New Year.    Also UNP seniors including Deputy Leader Ruwan Wijewardene, Assistant Leader Akila Viraj Kariyawasam and Vice President Navin Dissanayake met Mr. Premadasa few days ago to discuss the current situation of the country. 

Meanwhile, Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) General Secretary Ranjith Madduma Bandara who responded to questions raised by journalists during a press conference said the UNP and SJB will form an alliance at the right time. “The alliance will come into place at the right time and both the parties will work together before long,” he said.   

Madduma Bandara said his party is prepared to work with the UNP while maintaining its own identity.   

“We want to function as a separate party and have our own party office while focusing on a suitable arrangement under which we could work with the UNP. 

Asked about reports circulating in political circles that Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa could lead a UNP - SJB alliance with former President Ranil Wickremesinghe as patron, the SJB General Secretary said that Mr. Premadasa is the more popular as he had mustered more votes than the UNP leader during the past elections. He therefore indicated that Premadasa could lead an alliance. “Mr. Wickremesinghe could play a role using his experience and knowledge in politics,” Madduma Bandara said.