COLOMBO – Sri Lanka’s anti-government Aragalaya protesters launched a new movement Monday (12) aimed at nurturing potential youth leaders to take the country forward. Called ‘Aragalaya XCore’, the protesters insist they are not a political party but a movement that seeks to help potential candidate seeking public office step on to the limelight.
Nipun Tharaka, a convenor of Aragalaya XCore, said the movement hoped to have their representatives ready in time for the local government election.
The Aragalaya protesters were behind a public movement that led to the ouster of ex-president Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
However, Tharaka said they didn’t want more political parties, and more corruption under one umbrella was not what they wanted. “We want the action plan to show us its action,” he maintained.
Local government elections, scheduled for February 2022 were postponed by one year, and according to constitutional provisions, have to be held by in February 2023. However, the government has shown no indication of an election on the horizon, and has said the economic crisis is not conducive to hold an election.
A group of opposition parliamentarians, have filed two petitions with the Supreme Court seeking a court order for the Election Commission to hold the local government elections. The petitioners include the General Secretary of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya Ranjith Madduma Bandara, Prof. G. L. Peiris. MPs Dayasiri Jayasekara, Lakshman Kiriella, Anura Priyadharshana Yapa and M.A. Sumanthiran. Members of the Election Commission and the Prime Minister have been named as respondents in the two petitions.
-ENCL
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