The MPs of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) who were disillusioned by the internal breakdowns, frustrations and disagreements between the MPs and impressed by the unique economic vision of the President, have moved away from Sajith Premadasa and extended their support to President Ranil Wickremesinghe. The SJB is disintergrating as a result and at present 13 of the 54 SJB MPs who were elected to Parliament from that party at the last Parliamentary Election have left the party. This exceeds 24 percent.
Among the MPs who quit the SJB include former Ministers and Deputy Ministers such as Dr. Rajitha Senaratne, A. H. M. Fowzie, Vadivel Suresh and Aravindh Kumar. Moreover, M. Velu Kumar who is a strong SJB member in the Kandy district and a former member of COPE, MP Kumara Welgama, Puttalam district MP Ali Sabri Raheem, Digamadulla District MP S.M.M. Muszhaaraff and Anuradhapura district MP Ishak Rahuman are also among them.
Ishak Rahuman received the highest number of votes from the Anuradhapura district at the last General Election. Former Ministers Harin Fernando and Manusha Nanayakkara also left the SJB and supported the Government’s journey under the leadership of President Wickremesinghe and MP Diana Gamage also left the SJB earlier. MP Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka also quit the SJB due to the internal conflicts in the party.
Four MPs from the All Ceylon Muslim Congress led by Rishad Bathiudeen represent the Parliament, of which three MPs, except Bathiudeen, have left to support the President.
MP Dr. Rajitha Senaratne said that as a result of this situation, the SJB has begun to disintegrate due to the exit of MPs of other parties who joined it and discussions are under way with another group of MPs to quit the SJB and extended their support to the President.
