No coalition, national Govt. after General Election: Tilvin Silva

•  Says certain of a clear majority at the election
• Unwilling to form alliances, with those who were part of previous govts

By Kelum Bandara

The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), the core ally of the ruling National People’s Power (NPP), ruled out any coalition, or national government after the General Election.

In response to a question by Daily Mirror whether the NPP would opt for coalition governance, JVP General Secretary Tilvin Silva said such a necessity would not arise because the party is certain of a clear majority at the November 14 General Election. He made these remarks in the wake of reports that some parties in the north are planning to team up with the NPP to form a coalition government after the election.

Mr. Silva said that the government would hold talks with anyone interested but it would not form any coalition government. He said the NPP is not keen to accommodate those who held responsibilities in previous governments.

Any party that secures more than 113 seats of 225–member Parliament can form a government of its own. A simple majority is required to pass legislation including annual budgets. Two–thirds majority is only required for special purposes, such as the enactment of constitutional amendments.

Since 1994, only on two occasions, the governments enjoyed a two-thirds majority. The Mahinda Rajapaksa administration between 2005 and 2015 enjoyed it. After that, the Gotabaya Rajapaksa government had two-thirds in the House between 2020 and 2022.