May Day marked without SLPP,SLFP & UNP rallies as SJB and JVP display strength

May Day was marked sans rallies from three major parties – the SLPP, UNP and SLFP  while the Samagi Jana Balawegaya and the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna conducted major rallies displaying their strength.

The SJB held their first May Day rally since the party was formed to contest the elections in 2020 at the independence square with over 100,000 party supporters from all parts of the country. Some of them had taken part in the six-day long protest march from Kandy to Colombo.

Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa presiding over the SJB rally said that he would not bow down to pressure to join an interim government and said that the SJB will take over power only with a mandate from the people. 

The JVP rally in Colombo commenced from the P.D.Sirisena park in Maligawatta and held their meeting opposite the Colombo Fort railway station presided over by party leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake. 

The JVP also organized three other May Day rallies in Matara, Anuradhapura and Jaffna.
Mr Dissanayake addressing the meeting said that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa have been currently confined to their houses. 
 
The ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna has opted to restrict May Day to a meeting with its trade unions at the Ananda Samarakoon open-air theatre in Nugegoda .

Mahajana Eksath Peramunua leader Dinesh Gunawardena addressing the rally said that the country’s economy has been affected due to the COVID19 pandemic.  Former ministers Gamini Lokuge and Douglas Devananda were present at the event.

The UNP held a May day meeting at the New Town Hall presided over by party Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe. Mr Wickremesinghe due to the current situation and fuel shortages they decided to avoid calling their supporters to assemble in Colombo for the rally and were restricting it to limited commemorative events. 

“The country’s economy has collapsed and the country the country was facing a political crisis.  The public is of the view is that all should go while the government has two opinions – one that the President should go and the other that the Prime Minister should go. I am against the 20th Amendment, but the introduction of the 21stAmendment would not help to resolve the ongoing economic crisis in the country” he said.

He said urgent attention was needed to resolve the economic crisis and among them was to restore the tax collection. He said that government wastage should be stopped and the Parliament should take over the control of the economy. 

The UNP had called their supporters to show their presence at the ongoing Galle Face protest showing solidarity with the protestors.

The SLPP  General Secretary, Sagara Kariyawasam said that they have taken into consideration the present situation and as it was not appropriate to gather large crowds by use of buses spending fuel when the country is facing a crisis situation they have opted not to have their rally.
  
The Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) held a May Day commemorative meeting at the SLFP Headquarters in T.B Jayah Mw,  Colombo 10 while a small commemorative event was held in Polonnaurwa presided over by former President Maithripala Sirsena. 

Mr Sirisena said that it was time to take a decision for the government to quit allow the formation of a new cabinet  and government. 

Former Minister Mahinda Amaraweera told the gathering at the SLFP headquarters that they are hopeful that the next May Day rally will be held by the SLFP led UPFA government. 
 
The Frontline Socialist Party commenced their May Day march to the Vihahara Mahadevi open-air theater where they will be holding their Meeting.

Several other trade unions too have organized several May day processions.  The CMU was among those who held May day commemorative events.

The National Freedom Party led by Wimal Weerawansha said that the protests at the Galle Face green was now turning to be anti-Buddhist protest. 

Meanwhile, at the Galle Face Green and opposite the Temple Trees the protesters held May day related commemorative events. (By Tmesonline Desk)

Pixs are from May day rallies held by political parties and Trade Unions today across the country.