A leader of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party said yesterday (26) that it has been decided to give the leadership of the new alliance proposed to be set up by the Sri Lanka Freedom Party to
former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga and that the former President has expressed willingness to accept the post.
It is reported that the preliminary work for the formation of a new alliance led by the Sri Lanka Freedom Party has already commenced and many discussions with other political parties and politicians have been concluded.
The leadership of the new alliance will not be given the power to make a decision alone and it has been decided to form a leadership board that will include Chandrika Bandaranaike as well as the heads of other Parties that will join the alliance. The Sri Lanka Freedom Party will hold a 50 percent majority stake in the alliance and it has been decided to give 50 percent power to other parties joining it. This alliance is due to select, either the betel leaf symbol or the chair symbol and it is ready to be discussed and decided in the future, according to the party’s internal sources. It is reported that the new alliance launched and headed by MP Nimal Lanza is going to begin negotiations to form an alliance with the Sri Lanka Freedom Party after its first meeting.
Meanwhile, a number of groups with the old ideology of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna have also expressed their interest in joining the new alliance of the SLFP and it has been proposed to hold a main meeting of the new alliance in Colombo as soon as the negotiations are over.
Thilanga Sumathipala and Minister Mahinda Amaraweera have not yet been able to come to a definite agreement regarding the post of General Secretary of the United People’s Freedom
Alliance and former President Maithripala Sirisena has informed both of them to make a decision immediately. As soon as that issue is resolved, an agreement will be reached on the symbol to be used for the new alliance.