Giving top post to Champika: SJB seniors disappointed

With Member of Parliament Patali Champika Ranawaka resigning from the Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) and joining the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), expecting to be offered a top post, such as Deputy Leader of the Party, a highly controversial situation has arisen within the SJB.

During the last General Election, Ranawaka came fifth in the Colombo District and it is said that severe injustice will result if he is given a position ahead of Sarath Fonseka and Rajitha Senaratne, who obtained first place in the preferential votes list from the Gampaha and Kalutara Districts respectively, Samagi Jana Balavegaya sources said.

Ranawaka had obtained only 65,574 preferential votes, while Parliamentarian Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka had obtained 110,535 and Parliamentarian Rajitha Senaratne had got 77,476 votes, these sources said adding that they cannot in any way approve of someone who obtained a lower number of preferential votes asking for a top post in the Party.

They further said that, if so, top posts in the Party should be allocated to those who left the United National Party and seniors who joined the Samagi Jana Balavegaya, such as Sarath Fonseka and Rajitha Senaratne and not Champika Ranawaka who obtained a lesser number of preferential votes than S. M. Marikkar, Mujeebur Rahuman and Dr. Harsha De Silva in the Colombo District.

(Source: Ceylon Today)