All the major political parties have announced their plans for the celebration of the International Workers Day today (1 May).The main opposition party Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) and other main political parties such as Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), United National Party (UNP), Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP)-led National People’s Power (NPP) have decided to hold their May Day celebrations today in Colombo and while the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) will hold their May Day rally in Kandy.
The May Day rally of the country’s ruling party, the SLPP, is scheduled to be held at Campbell Park, Colombo. At a recently held press conference, SLPP Parliamentarian (MP) Prof. Ranjith Bandara said that they have organised the largest of the May Day rallies this year. He also said that the rally was planned to be held at the Galle Face Green in Colombo, but due to the Cabinet’s decision to not to give Galle Face Green for political meetings, they had to hold the May Day celebrations at Campbell Park.
The main opposition party SJB is holding their May Day celebration at A.E. Gunasinghe stadium, Colombo. The May Day procession will leave the P.D. Sirisena stadium at Maligawatta at 2 p.m. and reach A. E. Gunasinghe stadium.
The May Day celebrations of the JVP-led NPP is being held this year at the Viharamahadevi Park, Colombo. The rally will start around 2 p.m. from the BRC ground and will reach the Viharamahadevi Park at 4 p.m. Meanwhile, the Frontline Socialist Party (FSP) has organised their May Day parade from Delkanda Junction, Nugegoda to the Ananda Samarakoon stadium.
The UNP ha scheduled their rally to be held at the Sugathadasa indoor stadium in Colombo starting from 9 a.m. Party leader and President Ranil Wickramasinghe will not participate in the May Day rally and the President will address the May Day celebration via Zoom technology, the UNP deputy Leader Akila Viraj Kariyawasam aid to the media.
Meanwhile the SLFP and the Freedom People’s Congress (FPC) will hold their May Day rallies in Kandy. SLFP is set to hold their rally at the Kandy Public Market premises while the FPC May Day will be held at Sahas Uyana premises near the Kandy City Centre (KCC). Independent MP Gevindu Cumaratunga told The Daily Morning yesterday (30 April) that the Uththra Lanka Sabhagaya (ULS) has organised their May Day rally at the Hyde Park grounds in Colombo.