Sajith Premadasa, the leader of Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) and former Presidential candidate, has pledged that he will work with President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to bring about a “disciplined society” if Rajapaksa wins the upcoming parliamentary elections.
SJB member and former Minister Harin Fernando has reported this and further warned that “certain elements” in Rajapaksa’s current administration are posing a barrier to his agenda. Fernando further called for Rajapaksa to “put his foot down” and to carry out his agenda.
This statement follows an international outcry over the establishment of two presidential task force which threatens to silence critics of the government; empower the military to oversee functions previously administered by the public sector; and, bolster the Sinhalisation of the North and East.
Read more here: Sri Lankan Presidential Task Forces are “grounded in Sinhala-Buddhist nationalist ethos” and signal deepening militarisation – PEARL
Fernando has announced that the SJB will be rolling out the focus of their election campaign next week. The Colombo Gazette highlighted that he downplayed the withdrawal of some SJB candidates from the polls.
Read more from the Colombo Gazette.