• Nine political parties including Mahajana Eksath Peramuna (MEP) led by Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardane, EPDP and TMVP attended the meeting and agreed to contest as an alliance
• Unofficially , we have already indicated our interest in this regard to the UNP. We wish to take formal initiatives soon

By Kelum Bandara 

Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) intends to hold talks with the United National Party (UNP) led by President Ranil Wickremesinghe to explore the possibility to forming an electoral alliance in view of the elections pending , an official said .

The Election Commission announced earlier that it would call for elections to the local authorities early next year.

SLPP General Secretary Sagara Kariyawasam told Daily Mirror his party had a meeting with its alliance partners on Saturday to discuss what should be done in the event of an election being declared .

Nine political parties including Mahajana Eksath Peramuna (MEP) led by Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardane, EPDP and TMVP attended the meeting and agreed to contest as an alliance .

Kariyawasam said his party , based on this basic agreement, would talk to the UNP and other parties to seek the possibility of evolving a political alliance .

“Unofficially , we have already indicated our interest in this regard to the UNP. We wish to take formal initiatives soon,” he said.