Several noteworthy developments have emerged regarding the allocation of venues for May Day rallies organized by political parties this year.
Most notably, the ruling alliance, Mālimaawa, has decided to hold its May Day rally at Galle Face, instead of the traditional venue, the B.R.C. Grounds.
The initiative to use Galle Face for May Day rallies was originally taken by Basil Rajapaksa, aiming to host the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) rally there.
However, following the Aragalaya, President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s government imposed a ban on using Galle Face for political activities.
Nevertheless, the current Mālimaawa government has now lifted this restriction and, for the first time since the ban, has moved to secure Galle Face for its May Day rally.
While Mālimaawa shifts from the B.R.C. Grounds to Galle Face, the Frontline Socialist Party—a breakaway faction from the JVP—has taken steps to reserve the B.R.C. Grounds for its own rally.
Meanwhile, the SLPP has chosen the Ananda Samarakoon Open Air Theatre in Nugegoda as the venue for its May Day rally this year.
In contrast, while several major parties are organizing their May Day rallies in Colombo, the main opposition party, the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), has made all necessary preparations to hold its rally in Talawakelle.
The United National Party (UNP), however, will not be holding a May Day rally this year.
