Kumara Welgama (Sinhala: කුමාර වෙල්ගම; 5 April 1950 – 28 September 2024) was a Sri Lankan politician who served as a Member of Parliament for the Kalutara District between 1994 and 2024.[1] Welgama had been a minister of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party in the past from 2020, to his death in 2024 he was the leader of the New Lanka Freedom Party and contested elections with the Samagi Jana Balawegaya.
Kumara Welgama | |
|---|---|
කුමාර වෙල්ගම குமார வெல்கம | |
| Leader of the New Lanka Freedom Party | |
| In office 6 March 2020 – 28 September 2024 | |
| Minister of Transport | |
| In office 23 April 2010 – 9 January 2015 | |
| President | Mahinda Rajapaksa |
| Prime Minister | D. M. Jayaratne |
| Preceded by | Dullas Alahapperuma |
| Succeeded by | Ranjith Madduma Bandara |
| Minister of Industrial Development | |
| In office 28 January 2007 – 23 April 2010 | |
| President | Mahinda Rajapaksa |
| Prime Minister | Ratnasiri Wickremanayake |
| Deputy Minister of Power & Energy | |
| In office 10 April 2004 – 19 November 2005 | |
| President | Chandrika Kumaratunga |
| Prime Minister | Mahinda Rajapaksa |
| Deputy Minister of Transport | |
| In office 3 November 2000 – 2001 | |
| President | Chandrika Kumaratunga |
| Prime Minister | Ratnasiri Wickremanayake |
| Member of Parliament for Kalutara District | |
| In office 25 August 1994 – 24 September 2024 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 5 April 1950 Dominion of Ceylon |
| Died | 28 September 2024 (aged 74) Colombo, Sri Lanka |
| Political party | New Lanka Freedom Party (2019–2024) Sri Lanka Freedom Party (before 2019) |
| Other political affiliations | Samagi Jana Balawegaya |
| Residence(s) | 101A Manning Place, Colombo |
| Alma mater | St Thomas' College |
Welgama was the chief organiser for the Sri Lanka Freedom Party in the Agalawatte electorate between 1984 and 2000. Welgama was the Minister of Industrial Development from 2007 to 2010 and the Minister of Transportation from 2010 to early 2015 in governments led by the SLFP.
Welgama had been a member of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party until 2019, when he defected from the party after it supported the presidential candidacy of Gotabaya Rajapaksa, paving the way for the return of the Rajapaksa family. He supported UNP candidate Sajith Premadasa instead[2][3] and founded a new party named New Lanka Freedom Party, which joined the Samagi Jana Balawegaya alliance led by Sajith Premadasa to run for the 2020 Sri Lankan parliamentary election.[4]
Welgama died while receiving treatment at a private hospital in Colombo, on 28 September 2024. He was 74.[5]
References
edit- ^ "Hon. Kumara Welgama, M.P." Directory of Members. Parliament of Sri Lanka. Retrieved 5 October 2019.
- ^ "CBK And Welgama Decide To Support Sajith Premadasa And Samagi Jana Balawegaya At Upcoming Parliamentary Election". Asian Mirror. Archived from the original on 8 March 2020.
- ^ "Kumara Welgama pledges support to Sajith". The Morning. 12 March 2020.
- ^ "Kumara Welgama's new political party joins Samagi Jana Balawegaya". Colombo Gazette. 12 March 2020.
- ^ "Former Minister Kumara Welgama passes away". Ada Derana. 28 September 2024. Retrieved 28 September 2024.
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