The victory recorded by the ruling Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP)-led National People’s Power (NPP) with a setback, a considerable one at that, at last week’s Local Government (LG) Elections is an indication that the writing is now clear for President Anura Kumara Dissanayake (AKD) and his Government to engage in a much-needed introspective search while identifying the areas in need of course correction.
The JVP has been known to engage in a ritual where all members are subjected to what is called ‘self-criticism and criticism’ (svayan vivechana, vivechana), where each member is compelled to look inwards and correct themselves in areas where needed. The outcome of the 2025 LG Elections definitely shows the need for the ruling party to conduct this ritual before its popularity slides even further.
It is learnt that seniors in the ruling party have already held an initial discussion on the reasons for the JVP/NPP’s setback at the recent polls. It is also learnt that several JVP/NPP members have already given several reasons to the party seniors explaining the party’s performance at the LG Polls.
Among the reasons being pointed out are the failure of the JVP/NPP to realise that it is now the ruling party through some of its actions; false statements on key issues that were made by members of the Government; failure of JVP/NPP Members of Parliament (MPs) including seniors to engage with the grassroots, with many MPs not holding/attending public days, leaving many people disgruntled; the lack of work being carried out by State institutions while ministers have also failed in carrying out their work, as well as the failure to create awareness of the work being done; the failure to field individuals who are well known in their areas while sidelining efficient individuals; and the arrogant attitudes of some MPs.
On the claim of some JVP/NPP MPs being identified as ‘arrogant’ by members of the Opposition, Leader of the House, Minister Bimal Rathnayake responded to this in Parliament, admitting to being arrogant. “Yes, we are arrogant. We are arrogant before rogues and criminals, but we are humble before the people,” he claimed.
Meanwhile, several JVP/NPP MPs have also made various statements explaining the reasons for the decline in the party’s votes. One MP has said that the party had faced a setback due to the delay in arresting individuals accused of corruption and crime while a Cabinet Minister has stated that the decline in votes was due to the new candidates fielded by the party without carrying out a propaganda campaign that included poster campaigns with their faces.
Be that as it may, the bottom line is that the ruling party has faced a considerable setback within several months of assuming office. The final result of last week’s LG Elections was achieved following a campaign that was led by none other than President AKD himself. Some political analysts have opined that the ruling party had managed to win the election even with the current vote percentage due to ‘brand AKD’ being used during the campaign.
It will also be important for the JVP/NPP to take note of the fact that the combined Opposition has polled more votes than the party and has more councillors in the LG bodies than the ruling party. Whereas the ruling JVP/NPP had polled around 4.5 million votes, the combined Opposition had polled around 5.9 million votes, which would signify that approval of the ruling party was underwater by around 1.4 million votes.
The councillors count
Also, while 3,926 JVP/NPP councillors have been elected to the LG bodies, the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) has 1,767 councillors, the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) has 742, the United National Party (UNP) has 381, the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP)-led People’s Alliance (PA) has 300, and other parties as well as independent groups have 1,776, which indicates that 4,966 councillors represent the combined Opposition.
Another key factor is that a large percentage of voters did not cast their votes at the LG Elections. Out of the 17,156,338 voters, only around 10.4 million voters had cast their votes at last week’s polls.
Message to the Opposition
Hence, the results of last week’s LG Elections, while sending out a strong message to the Government, have also sent out a clear message to Opposition parties as well.
The latest election results are being touted by the Opposition as a great victory for Opposition parties while being a defeat for the Government. What the Opposition has failed to comprehend is that the masses have not given them a clear majority in the LG bodies either. Also, the increasing number of voters choosing not to cast their votes at the recent elections indicates an increased disillusionment with both the Government as well as the Opposition.
The masses, at least the numbers that cast their votes at last week’s polls, have put the Government and Opposition on notice. While pushing the Government to look at where it has gone wrong, the Opposition parties have also been pushed to do better and to put egos aside as well as learn to work together as a combined Opposition.
While the JVP/NPP won 266 out of the 339 LG bodies, the party failed to secure a majority in 186 LG bodies, with no majority in 149 LG bodies and standing on par with the combined Opposition in 29 bodies. The JVP/NPP could only form the administrations of 116 LG bodies.
Be that as it may, the clear and loud message to the Opposition last week was that the only way forward for the parties, especially the SJB and UNP, was to join forces, or else perish.
The gainers
However, while the JVP/NPP recorded an erosion in its vote bank from the two national elections last year, almost all Opposition political parties recorded an increase in their votes from last year’s Parliamentary Elections.
The main Opposition SJB witnessed an increase in its vote percentage from around 17% at the last Parliamentary Elections to around 21% at the LG Elections while the SLPP campaign led by the party’s National Organiser Namal Rajapaksa at the LG Elections saw the party record an increase in its vote bank and an increase in its vote percentage from around 3% at the last Parliamentary Elections to around 9% at last week’s elections.
The Sarvajana Balaya led by Dilith Jayaweera, which could be considered the new kid on the block, also recorded a rise in its vote percentage from around 1% at last year’s Parliamentary Elections to close to 3% at the LG Elections.
2018 vs. 2025
The ruling party however has tried to dismiss the SLPP’s gains at last week’s polls by stating that the party has still failed in comparison to the last LG Elections in 2018 when it recorded an impressive victory, defeating the then ruling parties – the SLFP and the UNP. It was a common belief that it was the ruling party that won LG Elections until the trend was changed at the last 2018 LG Elections under the ‘Yahapalana’ Government, when the SLPP recorded a landslide victory, defeating the ruling parties.
However, it would be interesting to look at the number comparisons between the 2018 and 2025 outcomes. At the 2018 elections, the SLPP polled 4,941,952, which was 44.5% of the votes. This was when the party was in the Opposition. The JVP/NPP at last week’s LG Elections polled 4,503,930 votes, which was 43.26% of the votes, while being in Government with a two-thirds parliamentary majority.
It would therefore be wise for the JVP/NPP to stop making comparisons, which seems to indicate the party’s refusal or inability to understand the people’s message at the latest polls, and work towards addressing the areas that require attention.
Probing PM
Meanwhile, the LG Elections campaign saw Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya facing criticism and a call by election monitors for a probe by the Election Commission on a controversial statement made by her immediately prior to the silent period for the LG Elections. A video clip of the Premier shows her asking candidates and supporters to surreptitiously continue with their campaign work even during the silent period.
However, the Premier responded to the accusation of violating election laws, saying that she was prepared to face the consequences if she had violated them, adding that she had no intention of doing so.
It was reported last week that the Election Commission had requested the Acting Inspector General of Police (IGP) to probe the complaints received regarding the controversial statement made by the Prime Minister.
Notable absentees
Meanwhile, there were several absent senior political figures during last week’s polls. Former Presidents Mahinda Rajapaksa (MR), Gotabaya Rajapaksa, and Maithripala Sirisena were not seen casting their votes at last week’s LG Elections. While the media showed images and videos of senior politicians casting their votes at the polls, these three former Presidents were not seen casting their votes.
It is learnt that MR had been recuperating following surgery and had therefore not cast his vote, while Sirisena had earlier stated that he wanted to maintain a low profile and preferred to rest at home during the election period.
MR appears
However, following the conclusion of the LG Elections, MR was seen at several official engagements.
One engagement was to participate in a meeting with the new Palestinian Ambassador to Sri Lanka, which had taken place last Thursday (8) at his official residence on Wijerama Mawatha, Colombo 7. The second engagement was when MR had attended the meeting of the SLPP Politburo last Friday (9) at his official residence.
JVP struggle
The JVP, which forms the nucleus of the ruling NPP, seems to be struggling with its own set of problems with the popularity of NPP members, including Prime Minister Amarasuriya, becoming quite discomfiting to the JVP since the party’s popularity is hinged solely on brand ‘AKD.’
Around 60 out of the 159 ruling party MPs represent the JVP with a majority representing the NPP, which has figured in several internal discussions of the JVP. This fact was recently confirmed by senior JVPer, Minister K.D. Lalkantha, who stated during an interview that he did not know a majority of the party’s MPs. He noted that sometimes he wondered whether some MPs in the House were SJB members when he came across them outside the Chamber.
It is this reason that pushed the JVP to field more JVP members at the LG Elections by limiting the number of NPP candidates. This has resulted in the NPP fielding JVPers who are not so popular in their villages to contest the LG Elections, resulting in the party’s outcome at the polls.
Maiden meetings in June
However, with the LG Elections now done and dusted, the focus has now shifted to forming the administrations of LG bodies, which has become quite chaotic given that there are many councils where no party has recorded a majority of the votes as well as over two score LG bodies where the combined Opposition holds an equal or higher number of seats to the ruling JVP/NPP, which has secured the highest individual number of seats in the relevant councils.
It is in such a backdrop that the Election Commission has declared the date of the maiden meetings of the LG bodies as 2 June.
The commission has officially informed the relevant political parties and independent groups that have secured over 50% of seats in LG bodies to nominate chairpersons/mayors in the coming days and that they will also be informed of the number of female representatives that should be appointed to each LG body.
The remaining councils will have to work on forming the relevant councils during the meetings on 2 June.
Forming administrations
The final results of many LG bodies have resulted in the question of who would form the administration of the LG body when no party has secured 50% of the votes.
According to the new legislation in place for the LG bodies, while a party or group must secure more than half the available seats, in the event no party achieves a majority within a body, the party with the highest number of seats cannot govern alone. In such an instance, the party with the highest number of seats must form a coalition or alliance with other parties or independent members to reach a majority.
If the leading party fails to build a coalition, other parties may form an alliance to gain control, even if none had individually won the most seats. This often occurs in areas with fragmented vote shares.
Therefore, parties which had not received the highest vote count in the respective LG body may still assume control through strategic alliances. During the first meeting of the council, parties and groups may agree to elect a mayor or a chairperson or to form a ruling coalition.
The mayor or chairperson can be elected through a vote in the respective LG body and if it is to be a secret ballot, the LG body has to vote to agree or disagree on holding a secret ballot as well.
JVP/NPP nitpicking
Amidst the ongoing chaos in discussions to form the councils/administrations of the LG bodies, JVP General Secretary Tilvin Silva has said that the JVP/NPP has no intention of establishing majorities in any LG institutions through coalitions with parties that had been rejected by the public.
Speaking at a press conference soon after the LG Polls results were released last week, he emphasised that the JVP/NPP would only consider joining forces with candidates who had contested independently, if they were willing to cooperate.
“The NPP has managed to secure majority control in a large number of LG bodies. However, there are some institutions where, despite us having received the highest number of votes as a party, other parties collectively have more seats,” he said.
He added: “After the elections, if small parties which contested separately try to combine their results and claim a majority, we believe that it is neither realistic nor fair. No single party other than the NPP has been able to secure outright control of any LG body. Some parties have only managed to win one or two seats.”
Seeking NPP support
Meanwhile, the JVP/NPP says that political parties in the Northern Province have reached out to the party seeking support from the JVP/NPP to form councils since most of them had failed to secure a majority in the councils.
Minister Bimal Rathnayake noted that even parties that had secured a majority of the votes in LG bodies in the north had expressed willingness to work together with the JVP/NPP in the councils.
Sajith takes the lead
Meanwhile, Opposition and SJB Leader Sajith Premadasa, making a special statement on Wednesday (7), came to the forefront on behalf of the Opposition parties, stating that the SJB was prepared to take the lead in uniting all Opposition forces under a shared vision to fulfil the public call to restore a truthful and powerful public service, thereby defeating lies.
He also expressed gratitude to voters who stood with the SJB despite what he described as a politically hostile environment filled with “insults, threats, mudslinging, conspiracies, and challenges”.
“The time has come for all Opposition forces to come together. The people have given us a message – to unite, stand for the truth, and build a government that respects their voice,” he said.
Premadasa also pointed to a dramatic erosion of public support for the Government, which had received sweeping mandates at both the recent Presidential and Parliamentary Elections. “In just six months, public confidence (towards the Government) has plummeted. The people have spoken loud and clear; they want change and they want unity in the Opposition,” Premadasa noted.
Meanwhile, the SJB said that it would seek the support of other Opposition parties to elect the mayor of the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) as the Opposition holds a majority in the council.
However, it is evident that many key Opposition parties are facing internal crises that started following last year’s Presidential Election outcome, further compounded by the outcome of the last Parliamentary Elections.
Several senior Opposition politicians from the SJB and UNP have already made public statements on the divisions in Opposition parties and the resulting positive impact on the ruling party as well as the Government. The outcome of the LG Elections may now pave the way for the Opposition parties to find a path to unite at least in the LG bodies.
Tussle in CMC
Meanwhile, the formation of the CMC is fast becoming a battle of titans with the ruling JVP/NPP, which has secured the highest number of seats in the council despite its failure to secure a majority, clashing with the SJB, which has claimed it will form the administration of the council by forming a broad alliance.
The JVP/NPP’s victory at the CMC despite falling short of securing the majority needed to elect a mayor has been seen by some as a significant victory, where a Leftist party has won the council for the first time since 1954.
It was SJB MP Mujibur Rahman who first revealed that the NPP had secured 48 seats, while Opposition parties had collectively won 69 seats in the 117-member council prior to the official announcement of the results. “NPP 48, Opposition 69,” Rahman posted on Facebook.
The SJB claimed 29 seats, while the UNP secured 13. The remaining seats were distributed among several smaller parties, with the SLPP securing five seats, the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) securing four seats, and the Sarvajana Balaya securing two seats.
The party that will form the administration will require 60 seats in the council.
The JVP/NPP claims that the party will appoint the mayor for the CMC, noting that the SJB cannot form the council’s administration, adding that the party’s mayoral candidate, Ruvaiz Haniffa, had failed to win his ward.
Meanwhile, former Colombo Municipal Councillor and incumbent Deputy Minister of Public Security Sunil Watagala claimed in Parliament last week that 11 councillors elected to the CMC had already expressed support to the JVP/NPP to form the administration.
RW meets UNPers
The UNP meanwhile has stated that the party will support the SJB to form the CMC administration while also claiming that the party had expressed willingness to form an alliance with the SJB prior to the LG Elections and had even stated at the time that the UNP was also willing to support the formation of a coalition within LG bodies.
Soon after the LG Elections results were released, senior UNPers met with Party Leader, former President Ranil Wickremesinghe at his office on Flower Road, Colombo 7. The discussion had focused on the outcome of the election and the UNP’s next course of action. The fact that the UNP’s ‘elephant’ symbol had made a reappearance and managed to get several LG councillors elected was also discussed at the meeting.
It was decided at the meeting to discuss the formation of a coalition in LG bodies where the ruling JVP/NPP had failed to secure a majority. UNP Deputy Leader Ruwan Wijewardene and General Secretary Thalatha Atukorale were assigned the task of discussing with the SJB.
Following this meeting, Wijewardene noted that the party had been able to increase its vote base and had also become a decisive force in some local bodies.
Meanwhile, Atukorale also noted that the UNP was prepared to engage in a discussion to determine how to cooperate with other Opposition parties to form joint administrations in LG bodies where the Opposition enjoyed a majority.
“Our intention is to oust the ruling NPP from power as it has deceived the people continuously,” Atukorale added.
Dilith says no
Meanwhile, Sarvajana Balaya Leader Jayaweera says that his party will not be joining with any political party following the outcome of the LG Elections.
Jayaweera maintained that his party would not combine with any political party in the future since none of the political parties or movements at present had a clear vision for the betterment of Sri Lanka. He noted that parties that wanted to work for the betterment of the country could join the Sarvajana Balaya’s programme.
Jayaweera claimed that the Sarvajana Balaya would not be part of political contracts of any party and would not be sold for money.
He further noted that the JVP had taken over 50 years to obtain 3% of the votes while the Sarvajana Balaya had obtained 3% of the votes within a short span of seven months.
SLPP decisive force
The SLPP meanwhile was in a jubilant mood last week, with SLPP General Secretary Sagara Kariyawasam noting that the party held the decisive vote in 50% of LG bodies. He maintained that the SLPP had managed to gain the votes that had been lost by the JVP/NPP.
The SLPP’s Politburo met last Friday to discuss the party’s next course of action and it was decided that the party should focus on building itself further from this point. The party has also decided not to be a destructive force in the LG bodies by obstructing those who form the councils from carrying out their work for the people in the area.
It was also decided by the SLPP to appoint former MP Johnston Fernando as the party’s National Convenor.
Edited version of “JVP/NPP turn to denials, criticisms and excuses post elections setback while AKD faces harsh realities” published in The Morning and written by Vaptaon Vasaba