The Joint Opposition will hold its next public rally against the National People’s Power (NPP) government on May 10 in Matara, extending its post-May Day campaign south of the capital.
The decision was finalised on Sunday at a meeting at the residence of former Minister G.L. Peiris attended by representatives from the various parties within the coalition, with former Western Province Governor Azath Salley also present. Sources said a final agreement on the rally’s logistics was reached at the discussion.
Speaking after the meeting, former Minister Dilan Perera said the Leader of the Opposition should function as the leader of the entire opposition rather than acting solely as the head of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) — a pointed reference to Sajith Premadasa’s perceived reluctance to share platforms with smaller coalition members.
The Matara rally is the latest in a series of public events the Joint Opposition has been staging since April, when a string of accountability disputes with the government — over the Treasury cyber heist, fuel price increases and President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s public criticism of judicial decisions — sharpened cross-party criticism of the NPP.
Matara is a politically significant southern district that has historically swung between the SLFP, SLPP and UNP-aligned alliances, making it a natural venue for an opposition coalition trying to consolidate non-NPP voters ahead of any future electoral contest.
Source: Ada Derana.
