February 27, 2023, Colombo: Tourism and Lands Minister Harin Fernando said a new alliance would be formed with the priority of the United National Party (UNP) and Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) members in two or three weeks.
He was speaking at a meeting with the Badulla District candidates, who are contesting the Local Government Elections from the UNP ticket, at Riverside Hotel in Badulla. The event was presided over by UNP Deputy Leader Ruwan Wijewardena.
“President Ranil Wickremesinghe and I did not want to split the SJB. When I joined the Government, I could have come with a few others, but the President discouraged that notion.
However, when I met him in Hikkaduwa recently, he asked me to go ahead and take those who wish to join us,” he said. Expressing his confidence that President Wickremesinghe would emerge a successful leader in the long run, the Minister observed that the country would not have suffered like today had Wickremesinghe become the President 15 years ago. The Minister also predicted that the tourist arrivals to Sri Lanka would peak next December, making a new record.
