• JVP says it is ready to accept any date set by SJB, rejects SJB econ. council led by Harsha & Eran over policy ‘contradictions’ 
• SJB MP Nalin Bandara invites ex-JVP MP Dr. Nalinda for P’ment mting. to decide date

Following the main Parliamentary Opposition Party, the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), rejecting the dates for the debate proposed by the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP)-led National People’s Power (NPP), also of the Parliamentary Opposition, claiming that the dates must be decided after discussing with both the Parties, the NPP claimed that the SJB and Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa will not be participating in any debate with its Leader and Opposition Parliamentarian Anura Kumara Dissanayake.

Speaking at a press conference held yesterday (24), JVP (which is the NPP's main constituent Party) General secretary Tilvin Silva, said that Premadasa and his Party are seemingly making attempts not to participate in the in-person debate with Dissanayake under the guise of a debate between the economic councils of the two Parties. Silva also noted that if the SJB does not accept any of the dates given by the NPP, they should declare a date for the debate, and that the NPP would accept it. 

“We proposed four dates as we thought that Premadasa was busy with his work. He could have selected a date out of all four. If they are not ready to do so, now they have the opportunity to propose a date. We can accept it,” he said. He also stated that the NPP is of the view that Premadasa would not take part in the debate. Responding to allegations made by the SJB regarding the NPP being reluctant to accept the debate between two economic councils, he said that there is no use of debating with the SJB's economic council members whose economic policies are contradictory. 

“Who is the leader of its economic council? MP Dr. Harsha de Silva. He is presenting the SJB's economic vision while praising President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s economic policies. At the same time, SJB MP Eran Wickramaratne is advocating for selling national assets. Therefore, there is no use of having debates with them,” he said.

Meanwhile, in a letter to the NPP Executive Committee Member, Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa, the SJB's Head of Operations and MP Nalin Bandara Jayamaha has invited Jayatissa to hold a meeting at the Parliament to fix a date for the debate, while mentioning that the SJB is also looking forward to holding a debate between the two economic councils.

The NPP officially informed the SJB on Monday (22) that they are prepared to hold the proposed debate between Premadasa and Dissanayake on one of the following days: 7 May, 9 May, 13 May, or 14 May. In a letter sent by Jayatissa to SJB General Secretary, MP Ranjith Maddumabandara, the NPP said that certain misunderstandings and speculations might be raised among the public regarding the debate if setting out a date is further delayed. The letter further said that a venue, a television channel, and the duration of the debate can be decided after setting out a specific date. Against this backdrop, MP Jayamaha told the media that the SJB is not ready to hold the debate on any date proposed by the NPP as the dates have been decided without consulting the SJB. Claiming that Premadasa is ready for the debate at any time, he said that the debate must be organised by the two Parties after reaching a consensus regarding the date and the venue. He said that deciding on a date without consulting others is not ethical.