Samagi Jana Balawegaya

The Samagi Jana Balawegaya (Sinhala: සමගි ජනබලවේගය, Tamil: ஐக்கிய மக்கள் சக்தி, "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]

United People's Power
සමගි ජනබලවේගය
ஐக்கிய மக்கள் சக்தி
AbbreviationSJB
LeaderSajith Premadasa
ChairmanSarath Fonseka
SecretaryRanjith Maddumabandara
SpokesmanS.M. Marikkar[1]
FounderSajith Premadasa
Founded10 February 2020 (2020-02-10)
Split fromUnited National Party
Preceded byUnited National Front for Good Governance
Headquarters815, E W Perera Mw, Athulkotte[2]
Youth wingSamagi Tharuna Balawegaya
Women's wingSamagi Vanitha Balawegaya
Political positionBig tent
Colors  Green
  Yellow
Sloganදිනමු Dinamu ("Let's win")
Parliament of Sri Lanka
60 / 225
Election symbol
Telephone
Website
www.sjb.lk

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]

Timeline
  • 30 January 2020 − The United National Party working committee approves Sajith Premadasa as leader of the new alliance and its Prime Ministerial candidate.[14]
  • 11 February 2020 − The Election Commission accepts the appointment of Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa as the leader of Samagi Jana Balawegaya and Ranjith Madduma Bandara as General Secretary.
  • 13 February 2020 − The Jathika Hela Urumaya, Sri Lanka Muslim Congress and the Tamil Progressive Alliance announce their support for the new alliance.[15]
  • 19 February 2020 − The United National Party working committee approves of the swan as the symbol of a new UNP-led alliance.[16]
  • 2 March 2020 − The SJB is officially launched at Nelum Pokuna Colombo.[17]
  • 9 March 2020 − The SJB opens its headquarters at No 815, E.W. Perera Mawatha, Ethulkotte.[2]
  • 10 March 2020 − SJB selects the telephone as its election symbol.
  • 19 March 2020 − The SJB hands in its nominations for 25 districts for 2020 General Elections, the party's first election.
  • May 2020 − The Samagi Tharuna Balawegaya (youth wing) and Samagi Vanitha Balawegaya (women's wing) are launched.
  • 5 August 2020 − The SJB wins 54 seats at the 2020 elections to become the main opposition in Sri Lanka.[18]
  • 20 August 2020 − SJB leader Sajith Premadasa is appointed as the Leader of the Opposition.[19]

Background

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.

Other participants

The Jathika Hela Urumaya, Tamil Progressive Alliance, and Sri Lanka Muslim Congress agreed to join the new alliance on 12 February 2020.[22]

Overview

Member parties

Symbol

The SJB announced that a landline telephone would be its electoral symbol.

Wings
  • Youth Wing − Samagi Tharuna Balawegaya [23]
  • Women's Wing − Samagi Vanitha Balawegaya [24]

Leadership

Party leader
Name Portrait Period
Sajith Premadasa
2020–present

Chairman

Secretary

Electoral history

Presidential
Election year Candidate Votes  % Result
2022 Sajith Premadasa Withdrawn
2024 Sajith Premadasa TBD

Parliamentary
Election year Votes  % Seats won +/– Leader Result for the party
2020 2,771,984 23.9%
54 / 225
 Increase 54 Sajith Premadasa Opposition

References
  1. "Marikkar appointed as SJB spokesperson!".
  2. "New headquarters of 'Samagi Jana Balawegaya' opened".
  3. Thushi. "Sajith's alliance to be named 'Samagi Jana Balawegaya' with the 'heart' as its symbol". english.theleader.lk. Retrieved 12 February 2020.
  4. "Samagi Jana Balawegaya - Official Website". Samagi Jana Balawegaya. Retrieved 1 May 2021.
  5. "Sajith Premadasa forms new political party for General Election". I Lanka News. 11 February 2020. Retrieved 12 February 2020.
  6. "Premadasa-faction forms Samagi Jana Balawegaya". www.dailymirror.lk. Retrieved 12 February 2020.
  7. "Sajith's new alliance to be named 'Samagi Jana Balawegaya". english.newstube.lk. Retrieved 12 February 2020.
  8. "Ranil to continue as UNP leader, Sajith named leader of alliance and PM candidate". www.adaderana.lk. Retrieved 12 February 2020.
  9. "Madduma Bandara confirmed as General Secretary of new alliance". Colombo Gazette. 5 February 2020. Retrieved 12 February 2020.
  10. "Patali, Mano, Hakeem to join Sajith's new alliance". www.dailymirror.lk.
  11. "SLPP sweeps polls and secures 145 seats, SJB gets 54". 7 August 2020.
  12. Jayatilleka, Dr. Dayan (2021). "In defence of the SJB | Daily FT". www.ft.lk. Retrieved 1 May 2021.
  13. Mendis, Dr. Mahim (2021). "Emergence of SJB as vanguard for social democracy: Message to distractionists | Daily FT". www.ft.lk. Retrieved 1 May 2021.
  14. "UNP names Sajith as PM candidate, Sajith to lead new alliance". Sri Lanka News - Newsfirst. 30 January 2020.
  15. "JHU, TPA, SLMC to support new Sajith-led Alliance". telugu.ucnews.in.
  16. "UNP Working Committee approves the Swan symbol". www.lankanewsweb.net.
  17. "Sajith invites UNP MPs to join SJB". www.dailymirror.lk.
  18. "Parliamentary General Election 2020 Results - Adaderana".
  19. "Speaker recognizes Sajith as Opposition Leader".
  20. "Sri Lanka : UNP appoints Sajith as the leader of new alliance and Prime Ministerial candidate". www.colombopage.com.
  21. "Proposal from Ranil: Contest under the 'Swan' and to appoint Karu as general secretary". english.newstube.lk.
  22. "JHU, Tamil Progressive Alliance and SLMC to support Sajith's Alliance". Sri Lanka News - Newsfirst. 12 February 2020.
  23. "Youth wing".
  24. "Women's wing".
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