COLOMBO– The main opposition Samagi Jana Balavegaya (SJB) remains deadlocked over finalizing its National List with party Leaders planning to meet on Wednesday (12) to confirm the names.
A day after the votes were counted the SJB released a list on social media naming seven politicians who campaigned across the country on the National List.
They include party Secretary-General Ranjit Madduma Bandara and National Organizer Tissa Attanayake.
The sole woman in the list is actress and lawyer, Diana Gamage, who is also the party’s Deputy General-Secretary.
However, until Tuesday (11) the party had not finalized the list, which has to be submitted to the National Elections Commission on Friday (14).
Some of the candidates who were nominated were those who were persuaded by the party leadership to refrain from contesting from their traditional seats to campaign across the country.
The SJB’s component parties such as the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) and the Democratic People’s Front (DPF) had been promised National List seats, party sources said.
SJB Leader Sajith Premadasa met with the leaders Tuesday morning, but there was no conclusion, sources said.
On Monday (10) DPF Leader Mano Ganesan tweeted that the party leaders will ensure discussion on the National List would not create divisions among the allies.
The governing Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) swiftly issued its National List nominees within hours of the announcement of the seat allocations as did the Ilankai Tamil Arasu Katchi.
-economynext.com