A tense situation has arisen within the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) in the Anuradhapura District, following the removal of former Opposition Leader of the Anuradhapura Municipal Council, Indika Aruna Kumara, from the list of appointed members after the 2025 local government election.
The issue emerged during a district meeting held on 19 October at the SJB District Office on Anuradhapura Airport Road.
Amid heated discussions, SJB members of the district organisation collectively decided to suspend all organisational activities in protest.
According to party sources, Indika Aruna Kumara — a senior politician who had long represented the Anuradhapura Municipal Council — was excluded from the list, while another individual was appointed instead.
The decision, reportedly made by the party’s General Secretary Ranjith Maddumabandara, has been strongly criticised by the district group as an irregular and unjust appointment.
They unanimously resolved to demand the immediate cancellation of the appointment.
The SJB secured five seats in the Anuradhapura Municipal Council at the 2025 local government election, though the National People’s Power (NPP) currently holds control across all divisions of the Council.
The meeting was attended by Members of Parliament Rohana Bandara and Suranga Rathnayake, both of whom expressed their objections to the General Secretary’s decision.
At present, the SJB in Anuradhapura District has established 14 organisational divisions, including youth, women, senior citizens, public sector, and farmers’ groups.
Awareness programmes for these divisions are already underway and were expected to conclude by February next year.
However, due to the ongoing internal dispute, the district organisation has unanimously decided to temporarily halt all related activities until a resolution is reached.
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