The National People’s Power (NPP)-backed group has lost control of the Kotapola Multi-Purpose Cooperative Society, one of Sri Lanka’s largest and most influential cooperatives.
The recent election saw the opposition-supported faction secure 67 seats, while the NPP-aligned group managed only 33, marking a significant decline from its previous stronghold in the cooperative elections.
The Chairman of the Kotapola Pradeshiya Sabha, along with six members representing the NPP, and the Vice Chairman of the Pitabeddara Pradeshiya Sabha, all contested the election but were defeated.
As a result, the Samagi Jana Balawegaya-led opposition will now have the authority to appoint seven members to the Board of Directors of the Kotapola Multi-Purpose Co-operative Society.
Political observers note that the outcome highlights growing resistance to NPP-backed organisers at the grassroots level, particularly within rural economic networks where cooperatives play a central role in livelihoods and community decision-making.
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