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NPP National List slot: Dr. Harini Amarasuriya's name proposed

12 Aug 2020

By Sarah Hannan
The National People's Power (NPP) is yet to finalise the Member of Parliament they will appoint from the single national seat that is allotted to them, The Morning reliably learnt. "So far, it is only Dr. Harini Amarasuriya that is nominated as a probable fit to enter Parliament through the National List, while several other names too have been proposed. We will take a decision today (12), after which we will inform the Election Commission (EC) on the definitive choice from us," Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) politburo member K.D. Lalkantha told The Morning. Lalkantha, meanwhile, confirmed that as a member of the JVP, it was only Dr. Amarasuriya’s name that was proposed as the potential National List MP to be appointed from the NPP, and the NPP Leadership Board had accepted the proposal. However, the NPP and the JVP await the acceptance of the position by Dr. Amarasuriya, as she would need to consult the university on how she could manage her attendance at parliamentary sessions and continue her political journey whilst being a lecturer at the university. “Should the university grant her leave to continue her political career, she would not have to resign from her academic position. But, should the university inform her that she would have to resign as a lecturer, she is to take a call on that and let us know her decision,” Lalkantha explained. Dr. Amarasuriya is also a board member of the NPP Leadership Board, Lalkantha confirmed. The NPP managed to secure one seat from the preferential votes following the general election that concluded on 5 August, during which JVP Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake, contesting from the Colombo District, managed to garner sufficient preferential votes to secure a seat for the party.


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