NPP rules out joining opposition parties to form councils: Tilvin

The National People’s Power (NPP) will not join hands with opposition parties rejected by the people to establish councils whereas the NPP will consider independent groups or individuals who are willing to work with the NPP, JVP General Secretary Tilvin Silva said yesterday.

He told a news conference that the NPP will establish councils in Local Authorities where the NPP has secured majority members.

When asked, he said it is not ethical for opposition parties rejected by the people to establish councils.

"The party which has secured majority members should establish councils," he said.

"One cannot put votes secured by all rejected political parties to one group and call it as the manadate. The manadate is the majority votes secured by a single party," he said.

He said the electoral system is faulty and that the mandate is not the total votes of all the rejected parties but the majority votes secured by a single party.

He said there is an issue in the electoral system where one who gets lesser number of votes can even get a seat due to the proportional representation system.

Meanwhile, Minister Bimal Ratnayake said political parties in the North have reached out to the National People's Power (NPP) to establish councils in the North as none of the political parties have secured absolute majority in any local body in the North.

He said the NPP has come second in most local bodies in the north and that some parties have offered their support to form councils in the North.

The Minister added that the NPP has secured 150 seats in the North.

"Even parties that have secured majority seats have informed the NPP that they are willing to work with the government. We will decide on it as per the policy of the party," he said.