The Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) said that they have been able to become the main opposition in Parliament, despite being the youngest party that contested the general election. “We are the youngest party that contested, having only registered the party five months ago and an election campaign of just one-and-half months.” “We have been able to surpass all the other old and traditional political parties and establish a majority in the Opposition,” SJB General Secretary and former MP Ranjith Madduma Bandara said. He said they would work in the coming years to establish their dominance and form a new government. “In the next three to five years, we will do the duty of the Opposition and prepare to establish a government.” He then said that the United National Party (UNP) had been given a judgment at this election by the people. There is no point in talking about the UNP; the people have spoken about them and their leaders through their votes.” Madduma Bandara said that only clean politicians from the UNP would be allowed to join with the SJB. “Who is there to join with the UNP? If there are clean politicians, then we will get together with them.” He also charged that the UNP leadership that supported the incumbent Government and refused to contest under the leadership of Sajith Premadasa is responsible for the party’s defeat. “The Working Committee of the UNP decided to contest under the leadership of Sajith Premadasa, but they went ahead and contested without him. So those in the UNP who followed the notions of the Government must take blame for their historic defeat. If they (UNP) had worked with us instead of working for the Government, we could have had an even bigger victory.” – Skandha Gunasekara