In a dramatic show of political strength, the opposition has swept the Gampola and Liyanagemulla cooperative elections, leaving the NPP humiliated with not a single victory to its name.
The Gampola Various Services Cooperative Society turned into a battleground of power as the opposition camp claimed a resounding victory. In the elections, none of the National People’s Power (NPP) candidates managed to secure a seat. Instead, seven candidates backed by the Joint Opposition were elected to the board of directors, sealing a complete 7-0 win. Supporters of the winning faction celebrated jubilantly, lighting firecrackers and parading through the town to mark what they hailed as a decisive political statement.
This result is seen as a significant setback for the NPP, which had hoped to establish a foothold in grassroots institutions like cooperative societies. Instead, the election revealed deep voter support for the opposition and reaffirmed their strong influence at the community level. The overwhelming rejection of NPP candidates underscores a widening gap between public expectations and the party’s political messaging in rural and semi-urban strongholds such as Gampola.
Meanwhile, in Katana North, the Liyanagemulla Various Services Cooperative Society election dealt another blow to the NPP. In this contest, no NPP candidates even came forward to compete. As a result, the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB)-backed group was declared the winner of all board positions uncontested. Analysts say this uncontested sweep highlights not just a failure in NPP’s strategy but also the inability to field credible candidates at the grassroots level.
Observers view these cooperative society results as more than local skirmishes, suggesting they reflect a growing wave of discontent with NPP’s leadership and organizational strength. Cooperative societies, though limited in scope, are seen as microcosms of wider voter sentiment. Victories here are often treated as indicators of political trends ahead of larger provincial and national battles.
For the opposition, these victories strengthen their grassroots machinery and serve as a morale boost as they prepare for future elections. For the NPP, the 7-0 defeat in Gampola and the absence in Liyanagemulla send a clear warning that their message is not resonating with the people on the ground.
The celebratory scenes in Gampola, coupled with the uncontested victory in Liyanagemulla, have reinforced the narrative that the opposition is tightening its grip on community politics while NPP faces a crisis of credibility.
