SJB rules out alliance with UNP ahead of elections

SJB National Organizer dismisses claims made by NPP Leader

By Yohan Perera   

Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) yesterday ruled out the possibility of a political alliance with United National Party (UNP) led by incumbent President Ranil Wickremesinghe and thereby refuted the claims made by National People’s Power (NPP) Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake who had made such a claim during his tour of Sweden.   
“NPP Leader has said in Sweden that SJB and UNP would get together and field a common candidate for the presidential election. It seemed that the NPP Leader had become the mouthpiece of Ranil Wickremesinghe. However, we have to make it clear that there will be no alliance with the UNP leader in the future,” SJB National Organizer Tissa Attanayake told a press briefing yesterday.   

However, he said SJB is prepared to ally with UNP grassroots-level members, sans the seniors.   

A similar remark was made by SJB Leader Sajith Premadasa as well where he said his party will not get into any deal with those who steal public funds and those who protect the robbers.   

These remarks by Mr. Attanayake and Mr. Premadasa are likely to create some rumpus in SJB as some MPs from the party including Thalatha Athukorala are of the view that both Wickremesinghe and Premadasa should come together once again. She went public with this idea a few weeks ago. 

 
MP Ashok Abeysinghe also said recently that Wickremesinghe can play a role in the alliance provided SJB become the main party in such an eventuality.