President Anura Kumara Dissanayake told the National People’s Power’s Nuwara Eliya May Day rally on Friday that “a new form of governance has been established where the people and the government function in unity,” urging the country to move forward together to secure future victories, NewsFirst reported.
This year’s NPP May Day celebrations are being held under the theme “People’s Power For A People’s Government,” with the party staging 21 rallies across 21 cities islandwide — its largest distribution of venues since taking office.
Dissanayake addressed the morning rally in Nuwara Eliya before moving to the afternoon Maharagama gathering. Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya led the rally in Ratnapura. JVP General Secretary Tilvin Silva was scheduled to address rallies in Kalutara, Matara and Tangalle, while Cabinet Minister Bimal Rathnayake headlined events in Vavuniya and Jaffna.
The Maharagama event at the National Youth Services Council car park has been identified by Sri Lanka Police as the largest gathering of the day, drawing dedicated traffic diversions across the Maharagama Police Division. Outstation rallies in Anuradhapura, Kurunegala, Kandy, Matale, Nuwara Eliya, Ratnapura, Kegalle, Galle, Matara and Kalutara each have a Senior Deputy Inspector General assigned for security oversight.
The Samagi Jana Balawegaya May Day rally began at 3.00 p.m. at the P.D. Sirisena Grounds in Maligawatta, led by Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa. Other parties — including the UNP, SLPP and trade-union coalitions — staged separate Colombo processions, with the UNP declining the SJB invitation.
Sources: Newswire, Daily Mirror, NewsFirst.
