Former Sri Lanka president to reenter the parliament

Reportedly efforts are underway for the former president Chandrika Kumaratunga to make a political comeback and enter the parliament under a new alliance of the opposition. Vimukthi Kumaratunga, the son of the former president is also to contest next general election under the banner of new opposition joint alliance to be formed this month, the sources said.

According to the rebel group of the main opposition United National Party (UNP), Vimukthi Kumaratunga will be contesting from Gampaha District, the former stronghold of Bandaranaike clan. Reportedly, former President Chandrika Kumaratunga will enter the parliament under the national list of the new alliance.

Ms. Kumaratunga, earlier had stressed that she would never return to the politics in Sri Lanka. However, she is now emerging as a key member of this new joint alliance of Sri Lanka’s main opposition. It was also reported that Ms. Kumaratunga had also asked the opposition leader to change the elephant symbol of the UNP in the new coalition to fight against the current Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Mano Ganesan’s Western People’s Front, Rauf Hakeem’s Sri Lanka Muslim Congress and former foreign minister Mangala Samaraweera’s newly formed “Ape Jathika Peramuna” are to join the UNP to from the new alliance before the end of the month.