Wickremasinghe- Samaraweera to forge new alliance

[TamilNet, Thursday, 28 June 2007, 14:17 GMT]
Ranil Wickremasinghe, leader of the main opposition United National Party (UNP) and Mangala Samaraweera, leader of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP-Peoples Wing) Thursday held discussions at the official residence of the opposition leader in an attempt to forge a new political alliance, political sources in Colombo said. A committee comprising members of the UNP and SLFP (Peoples Wing) was formed to work out a political programme.

In a briefing to the media persons after the meeting Mr.Wickremasinghe said that the SLFP is now a deteriorating party.

Mangala Samaraweera said that he is ready to bury the past and join hands with the main opposition United National Party (UNP) to forge a new political alliance to save Sri Lanka.

Sripathi Sooriyarachchi said a committee comprising members of the UNP and SLFP-Peoples Wing has been appointed to work out a political programme.

Tissa Attanayake, general secretary of the UNP added that the meeting between Ranil Wickremasinghe and Mangala Samaraweera is the beginning of a new political alliance.

Meanwhile, Jeyaraj Fernandopulle, chief whip of the ruling United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government and a senior minister said the meeting between Wickremasinghe and Samaraweera is a part of a conspiracy to bring UNP and the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) under one banner, political sources in Colombo said.