Samagi Jana Balawegaya

The Samagi Jana Balawegaya (Sinhala: සමගි ජනබලවේගය, Tamil: ஐக்கிய மக்கள் சக்தி) is a political alliance[3] that is led by Opposition leader of Sri Lanka Sajith Premadasa.[4][5][6] The alliance was formed with the approval from the working committee of the United National Party[7] to contest the 2020 Sri Lankan parliamentary election. On 11 February 2020 the election commission of Sri Lanka announced the they have accepted the party as a recognised political party in Sri Lanka. Ranjith Mandumabandara was named as the General Secretary of the party.[8] Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU), Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) and the Tamil Progressive Alliance (TPA) join the new alliance on 12 February 2020.[9]

Samagi Jana Balawegaya

සමගි ජනබලවේගය​
ஐக்கிய மக்கள் சக்தி
AbbreviationSJB
LeaderSajith Premadasa
General SecretaryRanjith Maddumabandara
FounderSajith Premadasa
Founded10 February 2020 (2020-02-10)
Headquarters815, E W Perera Mw, Athulkotte[1]
Student wingyouth.sjbsrilanka.com
Membership (2020)United National Party (Sajith's Team)
Jathika Hela Urumaya
Sri Lanka Muslim Congress
Tamil Progressive Alliance
National Union of Workers (Sri Lanka)
All Ceylon Makkal Congress
Democratic People's Front
IdeologyConservatism
Liberal conservatism
Economic liberalism
Political positionCentre-right[2]
National affiliationUnited National Front
Colors     Green
     Yellow
Parliament of Sri Lanka
106 / 225
Election symbol
Telephone
Website
www.sjbsrilanka.com

Timeline
  • 30 January 2020 - United National Party working committee approves Sajith Premadasa as leader of the new alliance and its Prime Ministerial candidate.[10]
  • 11 February 2020 - Election Commission has accepts the appointment of Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa as the leader of Samagi Jana Balawegaya and Ranjith Madduma Bandara as General Secretary.
  • 13 February 2020 - Jathika Hela Urumaya, Sri Lanka Muslim Congress and the Tamil Progressive Alliance announce its support to the new alliance.[11]
  • 19 February 2020 - United National Party working committee approves the swan as the symbol of the alliance.[12]
  • 2 March 2020 - Party was officially launched at Nelum Pokuna Colombo. [13]
  • 9 March 2020 - SJB opens its Headquarters at No 815, E.W. Perera Mawatha, Ethulkotte.[1]
  • 10 March 2020 - SJB select Telephone as its election symbol.
  • 19 March 2020 - Party handover nominations for 22 districts for 2020 General Elections.

United National Party

52 out of 77 United National Party members of parliament, led by Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa, joined the new alliance. The working committee approved the name of Premadasa as the leader of the alliance and gave him the power to chair the nomination board for the 2020 upcoming general elections.[14] On 14 February 2020, both Premadasa and Ranil Wickramasinghe agreed to contest the elections under the swan symbol and file nominations under Samagi Jana Balawegaya to avoid a division in the United National Party.[15]

At last moment UNP leader Wickramasinghe withdrew from the alliance that was previously approved to contest under its own. Even though his decision majority of the members of the UNP sign nominations under SJB. almost over 75 members of parliament join the alliance. A minority of the United National Party filed nominations under the elephant symbol.

Other participants

Jathika Hela Urumaya, Tamil Progressive Alliance, and Sri Lanka Muslim Congress agreed to join the new alliance on 12 February 2020.[16]

Member parties

Symbol

Party announce that a telephone would be its electoral symbol.

Leadership
NamePortraitProvinceLeadership periodHighest prior elected position held
Sajith Premadasa
 Western2020 January – 2020 MarchLeader of the Opposition

General Secretary
NamePortraitProvinceLeadership PeriodHighest prior elected position held
Ranjith Madduma Bandara
 Uva2020 –Cabinet Minister

References
  1. http://www.adaderana.lk/news_intensedebate.php?nid=61256
  2. Tim Hume, CNN (9 January 2015). "Rajapaksa's gamble fails - CNN.com". CNN.
  3. Thushi. "Sajith's alliance to be named 'Samagi Jana Balawegaya' with the 'heart' as its symbol". english.theleader.lk. Retrieved 12 February 2020.
  4. "Sajith Premadasa forms new political party for General Election". I Lanka News. 11 February 2020. Retrieved 12 February 2020.
  5. "Premadasa-faction forms Samagi Jana Balawegaya". www.dailymirror.lk. Retrieved 12 February 2020.
  6. "Sajith's new alliance to be named 'Samagi Jana Balawegaya". english.newstube.lk. Retrieved 12 February 2020.
  7. "Ranil to continue as UNP leader, Sajith named leader of alliance and PM candidate". www.adaderana.lk. Retrieved 12 February 2020.
  8. "Madduma Bandara confirmed as General Secretary of new alliance". Colombo Gazette. 5 February 2020. Retrieved 12 February 2020.
  9. "Patali, Mano, Hakeem to join Sajith's new alliance". www.dailymirror.lk.
  10. "UNP names Sajith as PM candidate, Sajith to lead new alliance". Sri Lanka News - Newsfirst. 30 January 2020.
  11. "JHU, TPA, SLMC to support new Sajith-led Alliance". telugu.ucnews.in.
  12. "UNP Working Committee approves the Swan symbol". www.lankanewsweb.net.
  13. "Sajith invites UNP MPs to join SJB". www.dailymirror.lk.
  14. "Sri Lanka : UNP appoints Sajith as the leader of new alliance and Prime Ministerial candidate". www.colombopage.com.
  15. "Proposal from Ranil: Contest under the 'Swan' and to appoint Karu as general secretary". english.newstube.lk.
  16. "JHU, Tamil Progressive Alliance and SLMC to support Sajith's Alliance". Sri Lanka News - Newsfirst. 12 February 2020.
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