SJB yet to decide on specific course of action – MP Perera

By Shamindra Ferdinando

The Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) was yet to decide on a specific course of action in the aftermath of presidential and parliamentary elections held last year, Kalutara District lawmaker Ajith P. Perera said.

MP Perera, who is also the Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa’s nominee at the Constitutional Council, said that they weren’t in a hurry and were in the process of looking at all options. The attorney-at-law said that a cohesive opposition political grouping would be much better than going it alone.

The former UNPer said so when The Island asked him whether the SJB would initiate talks with the UNP to bring the parties together following the recent appointment of ex-Minister Thalatha Atukorale as General Secretary of the UNP.

“We welcome her appointment in place of Range Bandara. However, talks between the two parties are not in the offing at the moment,” lawmaker Perera said.

Earlier former UNP MP Ruwan Wijewardena said that their efforts to patch up last year failed due to disagreement on key issues pertaining to the presidential election.

Asked whether the SJB intended to conduct talks with the UNP on the basis of it being the bigger party in terms of parliamentary representation, MP Perera emphasised that it wasn’t the issue here.

The SJB secured 40 seats at the last parliamentary election whereas the UNP managed to obtain just one seat but that too happened to be a member of Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC) contesting Nuwara Eliya District.

MP Perera acknowledged the responsibility on the part of the Opposition to reach consensus on a political strategy meant to advance what he called public aspirations.