SJB Working Committee rules out national Govt. proposal

• Working Committee says no to national Govt. and positions in Govt.
• Decides to field a candidate at next presidential election
• Gives SJB leaders powers to form a broad alliance to support SJB candidate
• Reports claim committee has also suspended the membership of MP A.H.M. Fowzie for violating party constitution

The Main Opposition party, the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) has decided to not join the current Government or to accept any positions in it. While various members of the party had expressed the party’s stance to refuse President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s offer to form a national government, it was only officially ruled out by the Working Committee during yesterday’s meeting in Colombo. The committee has also decided to field a candidate for the next presidential election. The key decisions were taken and approved unanimously at a special Working Committee meeting held in Colombo yesterday chaired by SJB Leader Sajith Premadasa.

The Working Committee also discussed the Government’s acts of suppression at length and the steps the party should take to fight against them going forward. The SJB had passed two key proposals. The first proposal to be passed unanimously was that the party should not join the current ‘anti-people’ Government or accept any positions in it. 

The party during the meeting had decided that it was a grave mistake to discuss or to propose the party join the oppressive Government and any such act will be prohibited. However, it has also been decided to discuss and make decisions as a party in providing support for the progressive activities in favour of the country.

It is reported that the Working Committee has unanimously approved another proposal that the SJB must present a candidate in the upcoming presidential election. To ensure his victory, it has been unanimously decided to build a broad alliance led by the SJB and to hand over full powers to Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa as the party leader to build an alliance.

Meanwhile, it is reported that the party has also suspended MP A.H.M. Fowzie’s membership in the party during the meeting after the Working Committee decided to hand over powers to Premadasa to take disciplinary action against anyone who violates the party’s constitution. 

The decision against Fowzie was taken based on the fact that he voted in favour of the Government’s proposal on the IMF agreement. 

The party’s executive board is also expected to assign the party’s disciplinary board to take the necessary measures in this regard. Fowzie, a former mayor of Colombo was appointed as a member of Parliament on 9 February this year to fill the vacancy that arose with the resignation of SJB MP Mujibar Rahman.