In Sri Lanka, a potential political alliance between two opposition parties has collapsed after the final round of discussions concluded yesterday. Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) and the United National Party (UNP) had been in talks about forming a coalition for the upcoming general election in November. Reports indicated that the UNP had offered the Prime Ministerial candidacy to SJB leader Sajith Premadasa, provided he agreed to unite the opposition to contest under the Gas Cylinder symbol for the election.

A former UNP parliamentarian said that the parties could not agree, as Mr. Premadasa was demanding changes in UNP leadership and insisted on contesting under the SJB’s telephone symbol. He added that it’s customary for political coalitions to contest under a neutral symbol, belonging to neither party. Sajith Premadasa secured the second-highest votes in the recent presidential election and was the Leader of the Opposition in the outgoing Parliament.