JHU quits from UPFA, forms new coalition

The Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) today announced that it had quit from the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) and that it had formed a new coalition.

JHU General Secretary and former Minister Champika Ranawaka said that his party played a key role to help Maithripala Sirisena win the January 8 Presidential elections.

He said the JHU had consistently pushed for the powers of the President to be reduced?and this was achieved following the January election through the 19th Amendment to the constitution submitted to Parliament by?President Sirisena which was eventually made law.

During the Presidential election campaign President Sirisena and the political parties which supported him had pushed for?good governance.

Ranawaka said that now the JHU had decided to withdraw from the UPFA and form a coalition with the aim of taking forward good governance.

He said the JHU does not feel the two main political parties, the UPFA and the United National Party, can take good governance forward.

The former Minister said that the JHU has invited other political parties who back good governance to join the new coalition of the JHU.

“Let us join hands and take forward the revolution. We invite all political parties and others to use this opportunity,” he said.

Champika Ranawaka said that the JHU is having talks with several political parties on joining the new coalition of the JHU.

Asked about the UPFA giving nominations to former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Ranawaka said that it was upto the Sri Lanka Freedom Party, the main constituent party of the UPFA to decide on Rajapaksa’s nomination and later for the people to decide at the election. (Colombo Gazette)