Sri Lankan president becomes leader of new opposition alliance

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Saturday, February 07, 2004

Sri Lankan president becomes leader of new opposition alliance

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Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga has been chosen as the president of the new oppositionalliance the United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) formed last month by her party and the leftist JVP or People's Liberation Front, local press reported on Saturday.

JVP MP Nandana Gunatilaka is the chairman of the alliance whileSusil Premajayantha, MP of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party, the main constituent party of the main opposition People's Alliance (PA) led by President Kumaratunga, is the secretary of UPFA, The Islandnewspaper said.

The UPFA was registered on Friday with the Elections Commissioner as a political party. The symbol of the alliance is the Butterfly, the official Daily News said.

The formation of the UPFA on Jan. 20 is aimed at toppling the government of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, President Kumaratunga's arch political rival.

The two leaders have been locked in a political power struggle since Nov. 4 last year when Kumaratunga seized control of three key ministries including the defense from the Wickremesinghe government.

The political standoff prolonged despite efforts by the two sides to try to reach a compromise over the defense matters.

Wickremesinghe insists on the full control of the defense ministry to carry forward the stalled peace process but Kumaratunga said the defense power is her inalienable rights underthe country's constitution.

The formation of the new alliance has raised speculation that Kumaratunga is to dissolve the parliament and call a snap parliamentary elections, the third, if held, since October 2000.

Kumaratunga was forced to enter into a cohabitation government with Wickremesinghe after her PA was defeated by Wickremesinghe's United National Party in December 2001 parliamentary elections.

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