by Our Political Affairs Correspondent
Tensions are escalating within Sri Lanka’s National People’s Power (NPP) as factions vie for influence ahead of the upcoming presidential election scheduled for September 21. Reliable sources close to the party’s top leadership reveal significant discord among its top leaders regarding key positions in a prospective new government.
A prominent figure within the NPP, a newly joined member with a distinguished academic background, has reportedly set her sights on the position of Prime Minister. This ambition has met with resistance from long-standing party members, including a senior figure from Bandarawela and the party’s financial secretary, who has positioned himself as an economist, hailed from Southern province. These established members are vehemently opposed to her bid for the top position.
Despite the growing internal conflict, many in the party remain optimistic about their prospects. The latest opinion polls indicate a tight race among the top candidates, with two leading contenders neck-and-neck. This has led to a prevailing confidence within the NPP that they will secure a victory and form an interim government before moving on to parliamentary elections.
The situation reflects a broader pattern of internal strife that has long affected the NPP and its predecessor, the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP). Historically, the JVP has been plagued by frequent internal conflicts, and recent developments suggest that underlying caste dynamics are also influencing decision-making within the party.
Originally a rural Sinhala youth guerrilla movement from the 1960s, the JVP has transformed into a significant force in Colombo’s political landscape. The party has faced criticism from dissident factions who argue that it has deviated from its Marxist roots and embraced neo-liberalism. In previous internal conflicts, factions led by figures such as Senadheera Gunatilake, Kumaran Gunaratnam, and Pubudu Jagoda called for a return to the party’s foundational principles and a reformation to address its perceived ideological drift. Eventually, these dissenters formed a separate party.
