SJB’s Mujibur to replace Diana

SJB Deputy General Secretary Mujibur Rahman

•  SJB leader Sajith Premadasa confirms Mujibur Rahman will replace Diana Gamage in Parliament 
• SJB MP Nalin Bandara says Gamage’s ousting is a relief to both Parliament and Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardene 
• SJB Weligama Electorate Organiser Rehan Jaawickreme calls for Gamage’s arrest for flouting immigration laws 
• Accuses her of forging documents to obtain SJB ticket to contest 

Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) leader Sajith Premadasa an nounced that SJB Deputy General Secretary Mujibur Rahman will replace State Minister Diana Gamage in Parliament. 

Shortly after the court’s decision, SJB MP Harsha de Silva also took to Twitter to suggest that former SJB MP Mujibur Rahuman is his preferred choice to replace Gamage. Rahuman had resigned last year to run in the local Government election, which has been indefinitely postponed.

In what seemed like a jubilant response from the SJB, MP Nalin Bandara expressed relief over Gamage’s removal from Parliament. Bandara, who had clashed with Gamage on several occasions in recent Parliamentary sessions, emphasised the significance of the Supreme Court’s decision. “She is no longer an MP as of today. We respect the court’s ruling, and I want to highlight that this decision comes as a relief to the Parliament and Speaker,” he remarked.

SJB Weligama Electorate Organiser Rehan Jaawickreme said Gamage must be arrested immediately for violating immigration laws. “She should also be arrested for misusing state property while being a non-citizen of Sri Lanka,” he said taking to X.  When questioned by an X user on why the SJB granted her the ticket to contest without proper checks, Jayawickreme accused Gamage of forging the documents submitted to the party. 

“She faked her documents. The immigration department itself was provided falsified information. We don’t have systems in parties to verify these details independently and we have to go by what the relevant departments say,” he said.