Urgent talks to win back former JVP leader

No conspiracy behind Amarasinghe quitting JVP – Vijitha Herath:

by Uditha Kumarasinghe

The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) will hold urgent discussions with the party’s former leader Somawansa Amarasinghe to persuade him against his publicly-announced decision to form a new political party, top JVP sources said.

The JVP is serious about having the former leader within the party fold and will hold discussions, party Propaganda Secretary and senior parliamentarian, Vijitha Herath said.

“There is no local or international conspiracy behind this move to create any rift within the party. It was entirely a decision taken by Amarasinghe himself,” Herath said.

The former JVP Leader had said that he had no personal dispute with anybody in the JVP. He has not yet tendered his resignation letter to the party. Amarasinghe had said that he would inform the JVP in writing his reason to quit the party, he said.

MP Herath said, “the former JVP Leader will not be able to form a separate political party because the JVP was his life.” The JVP Propaganda Secretary said that whoever left the JVP, it won’t be an obstacle for the forward march of the party. However, our political opponents and those who left the JVP are trying to exploit the opportunity to mislead the people that more JVP seniors are to join Amarasinghe.

We categorically deny this as this is mere mud-slinging by our political opponents. We call upon the people not to be misled by these rumours.

Asked why he participated in the former JVP Leader’s press conference, MP Herath said that although he didn’t get any invitation, he merely went to see the press conference conducted by his former leader.

Former JVP Leader Amarasinghe at a media briefing at Pelawatta on Thursday announced his surprising decision to quit the party. He said the decision was made on the grounds that the party failed to represent the true aspirations of the people. He said that his new party to be formed would represent the true aspirations of the people.

The veteran JVP Leader said that those who are dissatisfied with the present approach of the JVP will join their new political movement. The JVP is the only party which can win over the people under the prevailing political atmosphere in the country.

The new political party would not be a hostile political party to the JVP and it will only fill a vacuum that was created by the JVP, he told journalists.Amarasinghe said that he will officially submit his resignation letter to the party shortly. He said he would not distance himself from politics following his resignation from the JVP, the party which he led for nearly 25 years.