UNP to assist JVP led alliance against UPFA government

[TamilNet, Monday, 16 August 2010, 17:35 GMT]
Sri Lanka's main opposition United National Party (UNP) Monday declared that it is ready to extend its wholehearted support to an alliance as proposed by the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna to oppose the undemocratic actions of the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government led by Sri Lanka’s President Mahinda Rajapakse. Gayantha Karunaratne, UNP parliamentarian and its spokesman told media Monday that the leadership of the alliance is not important to his party as long as it opposed to the dictatorial actions of the UPFA government.

The UNP supported the JVP led Democratic National Alliance (DNA) at the last presidential election and supported the common opposition candidate Sarath against President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

JVP General Secretary Tilvin Silva earlier on Sunday said at a press briefing that the party had already initiated a dialogue with democratic forces locally and internationally to form a broad alliance to fight "the anti-democratic and authoritarian trend of the government."