Sri Lanka Freedom People's Alliance takes shape

Colombo (News 1st): The formal documentation pertaining to the Sri Lanka Nidhahas Podujana Alliance, the newly formed alliance consisting the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna, the Sri Lanka Freedom Party and 8 other parties. The Mahajana Eksath Peramuna, the Sri Lankan Communist Party, the Samasamaja Party, the Democratic Leftist Front, the National Freedom Front, the Sri Lanka Mahajana Party, the Desha Vimukthi Janatha Party, and the Pivithuru Hela Urumaya are its other members. The Secretaries of the parties signed the agreement pertaining to this alliance on the 14th of February. While Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa will serve as the Leader of the Alliance, former President, and SLFP Chairman Maithripala Sirisena will be the Chairman. Basil Rajapaksa will function as the General Secretary of the Alliance. The remaining positions of the alliance include,

• Deputy Chairman - Minister Dinesh Gunawardena
• Deputy Secretary - Minister Mahinda Amaraweera
• Vice Secretary - Udaya Gammanpila
• National Organizers - State Minister Dayasiri Jayasekara and Minister Wimal Weerawansa
• Vice-Chairmen - Prof. Tissa Vitharana, Vasudeva Nanayakkara and DEW Gunasekara

Speaking to the media SLFP General Secretary Daysiri Jayasekara noted;

Dayasiri Jayasekara: The Tamil National Alliance is the coming together of a number of parties. It is what is continuing to happen. We will very quickly sort out the matters regarding the positions in the alliance. The main figure is the Chairman. Our Leader is Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa. Maithripala Sirisena has been nominated to hold the position of Chairman. Journalist: The main party? Dayasiri Jayasekara: The main party is the SLPP. That is the main signatory. The SLFP is the second.

General Secretary of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna Sagara Kariyawasam also commented regarding the matter;

Sagara Kariyawasam: The UNP has an alliance of losers. We create victorious alliances. That is the main difference. Journalist: Symbol? Sagara Kariyawasam: Definitely the flower bud symbol. Journalist: What if there is a split again? Sagara Kariyawasam: That will not happen. Don't think negatively. Journalist: There will be issues when the party symbol will be taken by the Alliance. Sagara Kariyawasam: No, we have built this alliance in a way that this won't happen.

Former President Maithripala Sirisena addressed a gathering is Hatharaliyadda Bakmuna, Polonnaruwa today (Feb 17).

" I have nothing more to gain. What more does one want after becoming President? But what I'm trying to gain now is to work for the people, to use the experience and knowledge I have to help the current President to rebuild this country. Among the problems this country faces, the topic of political parties is widely being discussed. This is not a problem for people. Are political parties an issue? The real problem is the situation of the country and its people. What we must do is work towards rebuilding the country and its people not to bicker over party symbols. We must think about the country. We must come together for the love of the country, we must unite under one front or one alliance for the sake of the country and its people."

State Minister Rohitha Abeyagunawardena noted that there is no problem among them or among the parties that have joined hands with them. He stressed that they have all rallied around the main party which is the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna and will contest together for the upcoming parliamentary election.