The National People’s Party (NPP) is poised to secure a majority in the upcoming parliamentary elections set for Thursday. The party, however, is looking to establish a national unity government by inviting MPs representing the Tamil and Muslim communities, Minister Vijitha Herath recently told the Media.
Minister Herath expressed confidence in the NPP’s chances of securing the largest number of seats in parliament and emphasized that the party is keen to foster a more inclusive political environment. He clarified that the invitation for a national unity government would extend solely to Tamil and Muslim representatives, excluding members of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) and United National Party (UNP).
Bimal Ratnayake’s Remarks in Jaffna
National People’s Power (NPP) Executive Member and former MP Bimal Ratnayake stated unequivocally that former MP Douglas Devananda would not be offered a ministerial position in a potential NPP-led government. Ratnayake noted that Devananda, who supported former President Ranil Wickremesinghe in the last election, was part of a previous cabinet that, according to Ratnayake, contributed significantly to the country’s struggles.
Ratnayake explained, “Mr. Devananda has been misrepresenting his recent meeting with the President, even circulating the photograph on social media and in Northern newspapers to bolster his image. He falsely claims to have discussed his past achievements as Minister of Fisheries, deceiving people about his role. It’s embarrassing, to say the least. He’s now making claims of joining our government if elected, but this is purely deceptive.”
He went on to say, “There are ministers who have undermined this country, working closely with the Rajapaksa administration. Devananda, in particular, was a member of the previous cabinet, which collaborated with Rajapaksa, Wickremesinghe, and Sirisena in policies that were detrimental to Sri Lanka. He even assisted Ranil in the last election.”
Ratnayake further alleged that other figures, such as Rishad Bathiudeen and supporters of Tamil politicians Sumanthiran and Sridharan, were similarly engaging in misleading propaganda to secure votes from the Tamil and Muslim communities.
Former MP Ratnayake made these statements during a public address in Jaffna, reaffirming the NPP’s commitment to accountability and transparency in its approach to governance.
