SJB open to UNP tie-up, rules out alliance with Rajapaksas

Tuesday, 7 April 2026 02:25 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

SJB MP S.M. Marikkar

Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MP S.M. Marikkar yesterday said the party would consider joining hands with the United National Party (UNP), while firmly rejecting any alliance with individuals accused of contributing to Sri Lanka’s economic collapse.

Addressing a public event, Marikkar characterised the UNP as the SJB’s political “home of origin,” suggesting that despite past divisions, cooperation between the two parties remains possible.

“Imagine I got together with a girl. The father opposes. We run away and get married. The father falls sick, and we have arrived at the ancestral home to see the father. So, we can stay at the father’s home, right?” he said, drawing an analogy to describe the relationship between the SJB and the UNP.

He stressed that the SJB, which he described as maintaining a right-wing political culture and being free of allegations, would not align with individuals accused of causing the country’s financial crisis.

“A court ruling has been given, stating that Mahinda Rajapaksa, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, and Ajith Nivard Cabraal are responsible for bankrupting Sri Lanka. Can we form an alliance with them?” Marikkar said.