JVP, JHU to outline their strategy for Presidential election next week

[TamilNet, Saturday, 27 August 2005, 14:51 GMT]
The Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU), all monks' party, and the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), Sinhala nationalist-cum-Marxist party, are to announce their decision during the first week of September whether to field their own candidates or to support one of the two main political parties in the forthcoming presidential election widely expected to be held in November second week, political sources said.

The JHU leadership has appointed a six-member delegation to meet presidential candidates of the two main political parties, Mr. Mahinda Rajapakse of ruling Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and Mr. Ranil Wickremasinghe of the main opposition United National Party (UNP) before taking a decision to field an independent candidate in the forthcoming presidential election, sources said.

The JHU delegation, which comprises four monks and two laymen, is to meet SL Prime Minister Mr. Mahinda Rajapakse on Monday and the Leader of UNP and former premier, Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe, on Tuesday.

The JHU would end the negotiation with SLFP and UNP by September 1.

If these talks fail to bring consensus with one of the two main parties, the party will announce an independent candidate by September 4, Venerable Athuraliya Ratana Thero, parliamentary group leader of the JHU said.

He further said the discussions with the two main parties would be based on main concepts of the JHU including to protect the sovereignty of Sri Lanka, not to enter into any agreement with the Liberation Tigers and to amend the present election system and executive presidency.

Political observers in Colombo believe that although the JVP had initially indicated that they are to field a JVP candidate, it is most likely that they would support Mr. Mahinda Rajapakse.