Rival political parties, the United National Party (UNP) and the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) have agreed to form an alliance and contest the local elections together.

The decision follows initial denials from the Sri Lankan president and leader of the UNP, Ranil Wickremesinghe, over his close ties to the Rajapaksa family which are key members of the SLPP. These denials follow the deepening economic and political crisis in Sri Lanka which forced Gotabaya and Mahinda Rajapaksa, then president and prime minister, to resign from their posts.

Their departure from their political scene elevated Ranil Wickremesinghe, whose party had a single seat in Sri Lanka’s parliament to the highest office in the land. When asked if he was a friend of the Rajapaksas he responded stating:

“How am I an old friend of the Rajapaksas? When did I know the Rajapaksas? I’ve been opposing them all this time. You come here today and tell me I am a friend”.

Wickremesinghe has previously applauded his government on its ability to postpone UN resolutions and supposedly having “saved Mahinda Rajapaksa from the electric chair”. He also claimed to have saved members of the government from being hauled before the International Criminal Court.

According to UNP General Secretary Palitha Range Bandara, it has been decided that the two parties will contest under the elephant symbol in some districts, lotus flower symbol in some districts and a common symbol in other districts.

A decision on the common symbol is yet to be reached as is the composition of the candidates.

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