M. Zuhair, former Member of Parliament and attorney for President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, has made a compelling case for the National People’s Force (NPF) in the upcoming general election, asserting that the party has a strong chance of success even under a proportional representation system with a national list. In the recent presidential election, Dissanayake achieved a notable victory by securing 105 out of 160 constituencies, representing a two-thirds majority at the divisional level.
Zuhair contrasted Dissanayake’s performance with that of his closest competitors. Sajith Premadasa of the Samagi Jana Balawega managed to win only 49 constituencies, while former President Ranil Wickremesinghe failed to gain any seats at all. Dissanayake’s impressive lead of approximately 1.2 million votes over Premadasa reflects significant public support, particularly in the Western Province, where he collected nearly 9 lakh votes, including 460,000 from the Gampaha district alone.
He emphasized that Dissanayake’s victory symbolizes a clear mandate from the electorate against issues such as corruption, abuse of power, and a general disregard for public opinion. While recognizing the necessity of a strong opposition in a healthy democracy, Zuhair cautioned against allowing candidates who have previously lost elections to take on influential roles, as this could harm the credibility of the Samagi Jana Balawega.
Zuhair had initially predicted the NPF’s growing popularity several months before the presidential election, and his insights now suggest a favorable outlook for the party as it prepares for the general election.
For further details on the political dynamics in Sri Lanka, you can find coverage from various news sources discussing these developments.
