JVP General Secretary Tilvin Silva has issued a blunt warning to the opposition, declaring that if National People’s Power (NPP) is obstructed from forming local councils where it has secured a majority, the party will return the favor and block the opposition’s attempts in return.
Silva’s comments come amid an increasingly tense power struggle over control of local government bodies following the recent elections, in which the NPP emerged as the largest political force, winning 267 councils more than any other party.
“Let me be clear,” Tilvin said. “We’re not asking for favors. We’re asking that the people’s mandate be respected. If the opposition hinders us, we won’t stay silent we’ll obstruct them too.”
According to Silva, 120 of the councils won by the NPP can be formed without any dispute, and another 32 councils have equal representation from government and opposition parties. He emphasized that these too can be settled peacefully if political games are set aside.
However, he pointed out that the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), despite holding 14 councils, is unable to independently form governments in 13 of them due to lack of numbers. Meanwhile, he admitted that discussions are ongoing in several areas including Colombo where no party has a clear majority.
In Colombo, the government is currently 11 seats short of control, and negotiations are reportedly underway with independent members and rival factions to form an alliance. Tilvin warned that these backdoor deals, fueled by internal rifts and tug-of-wars between parties, might work to the government’s advantage but come at the cost of ethical governance.
“It’s not ethical to stitch together councils like patchwork,” he said. “If you ran separately in the election, then don’t pretend unity now. That’s political dishonesty at its worst.”
As political maneuvering intensifies behind closed doors, Tilvin’s message is a stark reminder that respecting the people’s vote isn’t optional it’s non-negotiable. And if the opposition chooses confrontation, the NPP, it seems, is ready to match it blow for blow.
