Political parties delay decisions on National List MPs

Political parties struggling to finalise their nominees on the national list are delaying their decisions.

The Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) which has seven national list positions was asked to include a nominee from Mano Ganesan’s party. The party nominee was former Nuwara Eliya district parliamentarian Mylvaganam Thilakarajah, who had stepped out of the contest after being assured a National List position.

SJB leader Sajith Premadasa told a news conference yesterday that a decision on the national list had not been finalised.

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) faced a demand from its Eastern province members, for a member from the Digamadulla district to be appointed as none of its members was elected from the district.

TNA spokesman M.A. Sumanthiran told the Sunday Times that members from the east had made a request to appoint a member from the area and the issue would be discussed within the next few days.

The Ven. Athureliya Rathana Thera who led the Our Power of Peoples Party at the elections said a decision would be taken shortly about its National List nominee.

Some of the party members have proposed the Ven. Galagoda-atte Gnanasara Thera for the position, but sections of the party have pointed out that his name was not on the nomination list.

The JVP which contested under the National People’s Power (Jathika Jana Balawegaya) is due to meet today at the party headquarters to decide on its nominee.

Former JVP MP Sunil Handunnetti said the Working Committee would take a decision.

Meanwhile, former Sri Lankan National cricket captain Tilakaratna Dilshan told the Sunday Times yesterday that he had requested the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) not to nominate him as a National List MP as his intention was to contest the election and win a seat.

“I wanted to contest from the Galle district, but as there were objections from party politicians in the area I tried to contest from the Matara district. But that too was opposed," he said.

The former cricket captain said he had written to the President and the Prime Minister to withdraw his name from the National List. “I don’t want to enter parliament from the backdoor.’

The All Ceylon Tamil Congress has decided to nominate former MP Selvarasa Gajendrakumar as its National List MP.

The SLPP national list was sent to the Elections Commission on Friday.