The Samagi Jana Balawegaya (Sinhala: සමගි ජනබලවේගය, romanized: Samagi Janabalavēgaya, Tamil: ஐக்கிய மக்கள் சக்தி, romanized: Aikkiya Makkaḷ Cakti, "United People's Power") is a political alliance[3][4] that is led by the opposition leader of Sri Lanka, Sajith Premadasa.[5][6][7] The alliance was formed with the approval from the working committee of the United National Party[8] (UNP) to contest the 2020 Sri Lankan parliamentary election. On 11 February 2020, the election commission of Sri Lanka announced that they have accepted the party as a recognised political party in Sri Lanka. Ranjith Mandumabandara was named as the General Secretary of the party.[9] Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU), Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) and the Tamil Progressive Alliance (TPA) joined the new alliance on 12 February 2020.[10]
Alliance won 54 seats and became the main opposition just six months after its formation.[11] While the alliance traces its 'roots' back (primarily) to the liberal-conservative principles of the UNP, some members of the Sri Lankan media argued that the SJB has over time moved to the (progressive/democratic) political centre and even espouses several social democratic (centre-left) ideals.[12][13]
Fifty-two 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.[20] 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.[21]
At the last moment, SJB withdrew from the agreement to contest under Swan symbol and the majority of the member signed nominations under the Telephone symbol. Approximately 75 members of parliament joined the alliance. A minority of the United National Party filed nominations under the Elephant symbol.
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