Somawansa to form broadest front

by Ranil Wijayapala

Somawansa Amarasinghe, the former JVP leader who quit the party in April said he will form the broadest and strongest progressive anti-imperialist front in Sri Lanka with the support of progressive movements in the country at the national convention on June 27.

He said that political movements which are not yet political parties had discussions with him to form a broader alliance to contest the next general election. “The name of the party will be decided on at the convention on June 27 considering proposals by different organisations”, he added.

He said the First Front which is led by one of the former JVP comrades Chandrasena Wijesinghe, the former Fisheries Minister of the 2004 UPFA government and another former JVP MP Ranaweera Pathirana had pledged support to the new party.

“I also had discussions with the Pivithuru Hetak led by Ven. Rathana Thera in this regard and we had three discussions so far and are continuing with the discussions”, he said.The party will follow the policies of the late JVP leader Rohana Wijeweera, he said. He said that they are planning to register the party with the Elections Commissioner but failing to do so will not hamper their aim of contesting the next general election since they are forming a broader alliance.The party would be a challenge to the two political fronts led by the UNP and the SLFP factions led by former President Mahinda Rajapaksa.Somawansa Amarasinghe said that although President Maithripala Sirisena is an SLFPer he is not opposing him personally.

“I admire him because he performed many changes. Of all six Presidents he is the best. We suffered under five Presidents. Now people are relieved,” he added. There is a lot more to be done by the President. He must be tough and straightforward, but not soft on corruption, robbery and bad governance”, he added.