Samagi Jana Balawegaya


The Samagi Jana Balawegaya is a political alliance that is led by Opposition leader of Sri Lanka Sajith Premadasa. The alliance was formed with the approval from the working committee of the United National Party to contest the 2020 Sri Lankan parliamentary election. On 11 February 2020 the election commission of Sri Lanka announced the they have accepted the party as a recognised political party in Sri Lanka. Ranjith Mandumabandara was named as the General Secretary of the party. Jathika Hela Urumaya, Sri Lanka Muslim Congress and the Tamil Progressive Alliance join the new alliance on 12 February 2020.

Timeline

52 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. 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.
At last moment UNP leader Wickramasinghe withdrew from the alliance that was previously approved to contest under its own. Even though his decision majority of the members of the UNP sign nominations under SJB. almost over 75 members of parliament join the alliance. A minority of the United National Party filed nominations under the elephant symbol.

Other participants

, Tamil Progressive Alliance, and Sri Lanka Muslim Congress agreed to join the new alliance on 12 February 2020.

Wings

Party announce that a Landline Telephone would be its electoral symbol.

Leadership

Secretary