Talks between the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) and the Ceylon Workers’ Congress (CWC) over control of key local government institutions in Nuwara Eliya have collapsed, according to Tamil Progressive Alliance (TPA) Deputy Leader M.P. Palani Digambaram. The dramatic fallout, which unfolded on the night of May 15, signals growing tension within opposition ranks ahead of looming national elections.
Speaking to the media, Digambaram confirmed that he met with CWC General Secretary and Parliamentarian Jeevan Thondaman in Colombo to finalize a power-sharing arrangement. However, the meeting ended in deadlock after the CWC demanded chairmanship of several key Pradeshiya Sabhas and urban councils, including Kotagala, Nuwara Eliya, Agarapatana, and Norwood. The CWC also sought control over the Hatton-Dickoya Urban Council, Talawakele-Lindula, Maskeliya, and additional institutions.
Digambaram firmly rejected the proposal, particularly objecting to CWC’s bid for dominance in areas with high voter populations. He emphasized that unless the CWC was willing to share power equally across local councils, he would not support their bid or that of any other party to form administrations. Instead, he vowed to serve in opposition within those local government bodies.
Adding a sharper political edge to the standoff, Digambaram accused party leaders of using these local-level negotiations as a smokescreen for presidential ambitions. “These are not genuine talks about forming local governments,” he said. “They are early battles for the next presidential election.”
The fallout threatens to upend the delicate political balance in the central highlands, a region where local alliances often dictate national influence. With both parties refusing to budge, several councils in the tea plantation heartland may be heading for a leadership vacuum or a fierce fight for control.
