SJB to contest next presidential election solo

… rules out backing any common candidate, citing experience of UNP

By Cyril Wimalasurendre

SJB National Organiser Parliamentarian Tissa Attanayake yesterday said that his party had decided to go solo at the next presidential election.

Addressing the media in Kandy, Attanayake said that the SJB would field its own candidate at the next presidential election. The SJB would not support any candidate of any other political party. “We know well the fate suffered by the UNP after supporting the common candidate at the 2015 presidential election”, he said.

Attanayake said that the government might go for a general election in the middle of next year. But his party hoped for a provincial council election and local government polls.

He said that the government had put off the elections to provincial councils.

The MP said even the presidential election might be advanced.