SJB grassroot level members unhappy about newcomers?

• Party leader says SJB does not discard people after making use of them

 By Yohan Perera  

Questions are being asked on how grassroot level members of Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) have taken the latest situation where outsiders keep joining the party and some newcomers being appointed as organizers. 

The latest to defect towards SJB was one time minister Dayashritha Tissera, the son of SLFP old guard Protus Tissera. He was appointed as the SJB Organizer for Nathtandiya yesterday.  

Some senior SJB members including General Secretary Ranjith Madduma Bandara, National Organizer Tissa Attanayake, Harsha de Silva, Eran Wickramaratne, Niroshan Perera were present at the opposition leader’s office to welcome Mr. Tissera.   

SJB Puttalam District MP Hector Appuhamy was a notable absentee.   

When contacted by Daily Mirror, MP Appuhamry said he could not make it for the welcoming as his vehicle was out of order.  

MP Gayantha Karunatileka who commented on the appointment of Shan Wijayalal de Silva as the SJB Organizer for Ambalangoda said, that Wijayalal de Silva could win a large number of votes from the coastal area from the Galle District.   

“Some party members in the area may not be happy about getting him into the fold but such decisions have been made to strengthen the party’s position,” he said.  
Meanwhile party leader Sajith Premadasa said SJB member Chithral Fernando had sacrificed his organizer’s post for Tissera while Bandula Lal Bandarigoda gave up the post of Ambalangoda organizer to accommodate Mr. de Silva. 

 
“We will not discard Mr. Fernando and Bandarigoda but will accommodate them in the party. SJB does not discard people after making use of them,” he said.