New JO-led alliance in offing

By Uditha Kumarasinghe

Denying media speculation of the emergence of a new political party on Saturday, October 8, UPFA Ratnapura District MP Ranjith de Zoysa said that the rally, organised by the Joint Opposition (JO), to be held in Ratnapura next Saturday is to protest against the decision taken by the SLFP hierarchy to remove some senior SLFP organizers.

He said that this was done deliberately and was an attempt to weaken the party and to indefinitely postpone Local Government Elections and exert undue pressure on the people through the imposition of various taxes.

All the constituent parties in the SLFP led JO such as MEP, NFF, LSSP, CP and PHU will attend the rally under the auspices of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa. Many civil society groups, trade unions and other activists will also participate in the rally.

The rally would stress the need to form a broad anti-UNP front with the long term objective of toppling the incumbent Government and installing a more people-friendly Government, MP Zoysa told the Sunday Observer.

The rally would also focus on the controversial remarks by Northern Province Chief Minister C.V. Wigneswaran to rouse separatist sentiments among the people since the Government had failed to take any action against him. Under the pretext of reconciliation, the extremists in the North and the rulers in the South who tolerate their actions should be held responsible for putting the country's territorial integrity and sovereignty at stake, he said.

The JO front liner said that at present the Government has got into difficulties in trying to give effect to the pledges made to the Northern extremists and is hoodwinking the people. When those who are held responsible for creating such situation are in the Government, there is no use of pointing an accusing finger at the JO. "We are not racists and we always appear for the freedom of our motherland."

Meanwhile, speaking to the media in Colombo recently, UPFA Ratnapura District MP Pavithra Wanniarachchi said that the inaugural rally of the new political front headed by the JO is slated to be held at Ratnapura on October 8 and added that the aim of the new political front is to unseat the current regime.

The Government misled the people with false promises. At present, the Government is dancing to the whims and fancies of some Western countries. The Government has become highly unpopular and the people are looking for an alternative. Therefore, our new political front will fill this void, she said.