A councillor from the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) has been elected as the Chairman of the Nawalapitiya Urban Council, which was controlled by the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), after a majority of councillors voted with the SLPP. The Governor of the Central Province had recently removed SJB member Sasanka Sampath Sanjeewa from the chairmanship and membership of the urban council, through an Extraordinary Gazette notification. Subsequently the election to select a new Chairman for the urban council was held today (15) at the meeting hall of the council, presided by Central Province Local Government Commissioner Menaka Herath. The Nawalapitiya Urban Council consists of 07 members representing the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), 05 representing the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), one member representing the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), one from the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) and an independent member. Two members of the SJB were absent during today’s election while the SLFP member and independent member, who had hitherto supported the ruling party, decided to support the SLPP. This resulted in the SLPP’s Amal Priyankara receiving seven total votes and he was thereby elected as the new Chairman of the urban council. Meanwhile minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage had also visited the urban council today to congratulate the new SLPP chairman of the Nawalapitiya Urban Council.