Leader of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), Sajith Premadasa, expressed confidence in the party's ability to secure a parliamentary majority, stating that there are no issues in working with President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.

Premadasa said that the SJB has assembled a strong team with a clear vision for the country’s development, positioning it as the most suitable choice for leadership in the current political landscape.

“Some question whether it is okay to give a parliamentary majority to a party when the President comes from another party. I think there is no problem with that, because we, the SJB, don’t have any issues working with President Anura Kumara Dissanayake,” Premadasa added.

Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) Leader Sajith Premadasa said if he had been elected as President, he would have renegotiated with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and taken steps to reduce the tax burden on the people. He questioned the Government as to why it has been unable to reduce taxes following discussions with the IMF.

Addressing a meeting with SJB members and activists in the Awissawella electorate, Premadasa stated that the people expected the Government to engage with the IMF and take steps to reduce the indirect tax burden on them. However, the Government has yet to fulfill this promise, and the taxes remain the same. The Government also claims it would continue the IMF programme without amendments, forgetting their own election promises, Premadasa asserted.

Speaking further, Premadasa said he would like to know what happened during the discussions between the new Government and the IMF, as well as the Government’s plans to reduce taxes.

“If I had been elected as President, I would have renegotiated with the IMF. Now, if we win the General Election, we can do that under an SJB Government because this Government would not do that, even though they promised,” he said.

Opposition leader Sajith Premadasa claims a conspiracy has been launched to remove CBSL governor Dr Nandalal Weerasinghe from his post and to appoint a crony of a powerful figure in government. “There are plans afoot to remove Dr Weerasinghe who made many sacrifices to return to the country and replace him with a close friend,” he said in parliament today (02).

Premadasa said in such a scenario the possibility of forming an all-party government is inconceivable.

He said the current government is spreading a fallacy that Weerasinghe holds dual citizenship while everyone knows who truly appointed a dual citizen to the post of CBSL governor once.

The opposition leader said that what should be done now is to work with transparency and that everyone must unite with a sincere purpose without attempting to achieve narrow ends.

The Samagi Jana Balawegaya says President Ranil Wickremesinghe during the meeting with the Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa yesterday, ruled out the possibility of an election in the immediate future.

Despite an invitation to join the government, Premadasa had declined the offer again.

According to SJB General Secretary Ranjith Madduma Bandara, the party had asked for an election to form a government with a fresh mandate to govern the country. However, the president had ruled it out the request.

Sajith Premadasa, the leader of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya will meet President Ranil Wickremesinghe today evening to discuss the implementation of a national all party program. 

The President's Media Division on 20 July confirmed President Wickremesinghe had extended an invitation to all parties to hold talks. In the invitation Wickremesinghe said initial plans required to implement a systematic economic reform programme are being formulated, while preliminary measures are also being undertaken for the creation of economic stability.

In a letter to President Ranil Wickremesinghe, leader of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya Sajith Premadasa on Wednesday agreed to meet the former on 5 August to discuss the implementation of an all-party program. 

In his letter, Premadasa said that he accepts President Wickremesinghe's invitation for a dialogue on the next steps, including the 19th constitutional amendment and the re-introduction of the parliamentary oversight committee system, to find solutions to the country's economic and social crises. 

“The economic, political and social crisis in our motherland must be brought to an end and the necessary measures should be taken urgently to restore people's lives,” he said.