The New Lanka Freedom Party (Sinhala: නව ලංකා නිදහස් පක්ෂය, Nava Lanka Nidahas Pakshaya) is a political party in Sri Lanka which was founded by ex-SLFP politician Kumara Welgama in 2020.[1][2] The party is known for its close ties with former president of Sri Lanka and former leader of the SLFP Chandrika Kumaratunga, who, like Welgama, has been a vocal critic of former president Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
New Lanka Freedom Party නව ලංකා නිදහස් පක්ෂය Nava Lanka Nidahas Pakshaya | |
|---|---|
| Chairman | Vacant |
| Founder | Kumara Welgama |
| Founded | 2020 |
| Dissolved | 2024 |
| Merger of | New Democratic Front |
| Split from | Sri Lanka Freedom Party |
| Headquarters | Battaramulla, Colombo |
| Ideology | Social democracy Sinhalese nationalism Left-wing nationalism |
| Political position | Centre-left |
| National affiliation | Samagi Jana Balawegaya (2020–2024) New Democratic Front (since 2024) |
| Parliament | 0 / 225 |
| Election symbol | |
Horseshoe | |
History
editWelgama had been a member of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party until 2019, when he defected from the party due to its support for the presidential candidacy of SLPP candidate Gotabaya Rajapaksa in the upcoming presidential elections, paving the way for the return of the Rajapaksa family to Sri Lankan politics.[3] Welgama instead supported UNP candidate Sajith Premadasa. In 2020, Welgama founded his own political party named the New Lanka Freedom Party, which joined the SJB alliance led by Premadasa to contest in the 2020 parliamentary elections.[1][2][4]
On 5 September, 2022, former president Chandrika Kumaratunga declared the headquarters of the New Lanka Freedom Party open, located in Battaramulla, Colombo.[5]
References
edit- ^ a b "Kumara Welgama pledges support to Sajith". 12 March 2020.
- ^ a b "Kumara Welgama's new political party joins Samagi Jana Balawegaya". 12 March 2020.
- ^ "Decision to support SLPP will dissolve SLFP : MP Kumara Welgama". Sri Lanka News - Newsfirst. 2019-10-09. Retrieved 2023-04-07.
- ^ "CBK And Welgama Decide To Support Sajith Premadasa And Samagi Jana Balawegaya At Upcoming Parliamentary Election". www.asianmirror.lk. Archived from the original on 2020-03-08.
- ^ "Sri Lanka ex president Kumaratunga declares open New Lanka Freedom Party HQ". EconomyNext. 2022-09-05. Retrieved 2022-12-30.
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