SLPP to form a new alliance tomorrow

Colombo (News 1st): Addressing a media briefing, the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna stated that it will form a new alliance tomorrow (July 26). UPFA MP Dilum Amunugama noted that they have several suitable candidates for the election and that Mahinda Rajapaksa will consider them. He said that they will announce their candidate on August 11th. The parliamentarian clearly stated that members of their party have reservations about this decision as they fear that they will have to work with a leader that they do not respect. He said they only agreed to join the alliance but they haven't agreed to support a candidate from a different party. MP Amunugama added that tomorrow they hope to sign this alliance agreement with fellow parties. However, the SLFP is not yet included in the agreement, but according to the discussions carried out if they could agree with the terms and conditions set by us and if we are able to comply with theirs, there is a possibility that such an agreement will be signed with the SLFP too. A journalist questioned on rumours of group members switching sides. The journalist noted that among the group MP Welgama's name is spoken out of confidence. Responding to this MP Amunugama noted that it could be true because MP Welgama clearly states that he refuses to work if Gotabaya Rajapaksa is named as the presidential candidate. He went onto say that if Gotabaya Rajapaksa is named as the presidential candidate on the 11th he will have to find someone else to work for. The MP noted that Welagama stated that there are five of them and that he will reveal who they are. MP Amunugama said,

"We know that out of the 5 of them only one of them will contest. That is MP Welgama. He is a very good person. If he is named as the presidential candidate, we will have to work for him."