A rare internal rupture is shaking Sri Lanka’s JVP as debate over Tilvin Silva’s entry into Parliament exposes factional power struggles and competing foreign policy visions.
Sri Lanka’s Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna is facing an intense internal debate over the possible parliamentary entry of its General Secretary, Tilvin Silva, a move that would overturn a party tradition maintained since 1994. Former Provincial Councilor Waruna Rajapaksa has revealed that growing divisions inside the party have ignited widespread discussion across social media and political circles, with implications extending beyond domestic politics to foreign relations.
For more than three decades, the JVP’s General Secretary has deliberately stayed out of Parliament, concentrating instead on managing party affairs from outside the legislature. Silva’s potential arrival in Parliament represents a clear departure from that long held practice and highlights rising tensions within the party’s leadership. According to Rajapaksa, these tensions are driven by three distinct factions now competing for influence.
One group, known as the Kelaniya faction, is led by party President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, together with Vijitha Herath and Nalinda Jayatissa. This faction emphasizes party unity and continuity, warning against abrupt structural changes. In contrast, the Pelawatte faction, which includes Tilvin Silva and Bimal Ratnayake, is advocating for stronger parliamentary engagement and a more direct role within the legislature. A third bloc, often described as the Liberal Harini faction, aligns with Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya and Lalkantha, and has emerged as a powerful counterbalance within the party.
The confrontation between the Pelawatte faction and supporters of the Prime Minister has intensified, with Lalkantha publicly backing the Prime Minister and openly challenging even Dissanayake’s authority. Rajapaksa has stressed that these disputes are not limited to internal party politics but carry significant geopolitical weight. He claims the Kelaniya faction maintains closer ties with the United States, while the Pelawatte group, including Silva, favors a China friendly orientation. This contrast reportedly became evident during a recent visit by China’s Foreign Minister, who met separately with government leaders and representatives of the Pelawatte faction.
Earlier efforts by the Pelawatte group to install Bimal Ratnayake as Prime Minister were blocked by opposition from Lalkantha and Nalinda Jayatissa, underlining the depth of the leadership struggle. Political analysts believe that if Tilvin Silva enters Parliament, it could further shift the balance of power inside the JVP and complicate the party’s foreign policy posture amid Sri Lanka’s strategic ties with China and the United States.
