Weerawansa plans for new front

JVP dissident faction led by its parliamentary group chief, Wimal Weerawansa, has mooted the formation of a Deshapremi Peramuna (Patriotic Front) and pledged to work under that banner. They have vowed to take this action if their disputes with the party leadership are not amicably settled.
The decision by Mr. Weerawansa and ten dissident MPs to form such a front, with the backing of a number of civil society organizations and trade unions was taken at a meeting the dissident group held on last week at the Patriotic National Front office in Colombo

Political observers point out that the fact that like the PNM, the new political group also is being formed with a similar name suggests a link between the two. This development came as the crisis within the JVP worsened. Police have begun investigations into several incidents involving the forcible removal of vehicles belonging to JVP dissident MPs with one JVP MP and another JVP cadre being remanded.
Instead, a newspaper titled ‘Rivida’ is to be published by Mr. Weerawansa and his dissident supporters shortly. The move by JVP dissidents came as it became clear Mr. Weerawansa may be sacked from the Party after a disciplinary inquiry. This is after May 10 when a decision by the Central Committee to suspend him takes effect. Mr. Weerawansa told the dissident MPs that the new front, when formed, would not support either the Government or the opposition parties. However, JVP leader Somawansa Amerasinghe said that the Government was helping Mr. Weerawansa and his group and they were in turn helping the Government.