The JVP breakaway group, the Frontline Socialist Party (FSP) says that its leader-in-Exile Kumar Gunarathnam will contest in the upcoming Presidential Election. Mr. Gunarathnam is now a Australian national.
He was allegedly abducted in 2011. The Australian embassy in Colombo intervened to get him released and re-join his family in Australia. He has now changed his name has entered the country for first time since his alleged abduction. His opponent charged him for stage managing the abduction and on the pay role of the government. FSP has rejected the allegation.
Related news item published by the FSP web site:
”The Frontline Socialist party disclosed that they are preparing to put forward a common leftist candidate on forthcoming presidential election. Upon on request , Mr Pubudu Jayagoda the secretary to the party propaganda said that, ” already we had discussions with few leftist parties and have to discuss with several other parties in near future on this matter.” He further explained that there is a recent proposal being discussed within the party central committee suggesting Mr Gunarathnam should be the presidential candidate for the election.
Speaking on this issue another party politburo member Duminda Nagamuwa said that due to the governments’ suppressed tactics Kumar Gunarathnam had to live in exile since his abduction on 2011. He also adds that ” elections of this country means a war of two companies. The company spends more, and who cheats the people most always win. This is what normally happens. But we think, we should use this event, in order to convey the leftist ideology to the society. We try to fill this gap by representing a presidential candidate on this occasion. ”