JVP seeks to form new alliance under Swan symbol
By Our Political Editor

The coalition of opposition parties that came together to support retired General Sarath Fonseka at the January 26 Presidential Election has collapsed.

Its main player, the United National Party (UNP), will go it alone with its Elephant symbol at the upcoming parliamentary elections, though it is prepared to do so under the United National Front banner.

“Our district chairmen and party officials have taken a unanimous decision,” party leader Ranil Wickremesinghe told the Sunday Times yesterday. He said the district leaders met soon after the presidential poll to take stock of the situation.

The move this week prompted the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) to propose the formation of a new alliance. It sent out invitations to other parties to join. They include Gen. (retd.) Fonseka, (with his Swan symbol and New Democratic Front), Mangala Samaraweera (SLFP –M), Rauff Hakeem (SLMC), Mano Ganeshan (Democratic People’s Front) and Arjuna Ranatunga, who crossed over from Government ranks weeks before the poll.

Some questions have also arisen about the future course of action of the United National Front. This came after one of the UNF constituent parties, the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC), announced it would work together with the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) in seeking a political solution to the national question. However, the SLMC has indicated that it would contest elections in alliance with the UNF.

Another UNF constituent, the SLFP (M) led by Mangala Samaraweera, the man who put together the broad front to support Gen. (retd.) Fonseka, has in the past declined to contest under the Elephant symbol. He would thus have to decide whether to change his mind and remain within a depleted, inactive UNF or join the JVP-backed new alliance.

Behind the scenes, moves to persuade the UNP to change its stance have failed. The JVP had tried to persuade the main opposition party to continue with the same arrangement that existed when they together supported General Fonseka. This is by rallying behind the Swan symbol. The UNP, the Sunday Times learnt, has taken up the official position that its alliance was limited only to the Presidential poll and not to the impending parliamentary elections. Party leader Wickremesinghe said that other parties in the alliance, including the JVP took up that position then.

The UNPs Working Committee, the main policy making body, is to meet next week to endorse its decision to contest under the Elephant symbol. A JVP source, who spoke to the Sunday Times on grounds of anonymity, said if the party’s move to form a new alliance fails, the JVP would field candidates on its own. However, the source said the party propose to discuss a common programme of action with the parties invited to form the alliance.

The source also said the JVP would not invite the TNA to join their proposed alliance.