All six members of the National People’s Power (NPP) representing the Norwood Pradeshiya Sabha announced yesterday that they will function as independents, in protest against party demands for newly elected Chairman John Francis Allen to resign.
Allen, an NPP nominee, was elected Chairman on Friday (27) with 12 votes, including the backing of five councillors from the Tamil Progressive Alliance and all five elected members of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB). His rival, Kanapathi Kulandaivel Ravi of the Ceylon Workers’ Congress (CWC), received just seven votes.
The six breakaway members claim they were subjected to pressure and intimidation by senior NPP organiser for Nuwara Eliya, Manjula Suraweerarachchi, who allegedly objected to Allen’s election and demanded his resignation. The councillors allege attempts were made to force them into compliance through coercion, which they say prompted their decision to leave the party.
According to party sources, the NPP had reached a prior understanding that the CWC would take the Chairmanship in Norwood, while the Vice Chairmanship would be allocated to the NPP. However, local NPP members maintain that Allen’s election was driven by political realities on the ground and did not constitute a violation of party principles.
Suraweerarachchi, responding to the allegations, acknowledged a disagreement over the election but denied sending any letter demanding Allen’s resignation. He claimed he had sought to meet the councillors to resolve the matter, though the meeting had not taken place.
Meanwhile, SJB MP Mujibur Rahuman announced that disciplinary action would be taken against his party’s councillors who voted with the NPP. Speaking to the media on Sunday (29), Rahuman criticised the NPP for engaging in what he called “clandestine deals,” despite publicly claiming to oppose political alliances.
Rahuman stressed that the SJB leadership was not consulted about the arrangement, adding that the five SJB councillors had acted independently when they cast their votes for Allen. In return, the NPP supported the SJB’s candidate for Deputy Chairman.
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