Clear signals indicate a significant erosion of government power across the country, following a triple defeat in grassroots political battles, including cooperative elections and local council budgets.
Today’s (08) Matara District SANASA election concluded with a severe defeat for pro-government factions. Opposition-backed groups secured victories in 11 out of 14 SANASA zones in the Matara District, while the National People’s Power (NPP) supported groups managed to win only two zones. Critics point to these cooperative election losses as the first serious wave impacting the NPP’s grassroots power.‘Second Wave’ Begins as NPP-Controlled Councils Face Budget Defeats!
Meanwhile, the defeat of budget reports in two local councils controlled by the National People’s Power (NPP) marks a clear signal of the second wave of this power erosion.
The latest incident reported is the defeat of the Soranathota Pradeshiya Sabha budget yesterday (07) by three votes. Although the NPP managed to secure power in the chairman election with two opposition members voting in favor of the NPP candidate, eight opposition councillors voted against the budget during the budget vote. While the four NPP councillors and the chairman voted in favor, they could not prevent the budget’s defeat in the face of a united opposition.
Previously, the inaugural budget for 2024 of the Kolonna Pradeshiya Sabha, also under NPP control, was defeated on its first reading the day before yesterday (06). Despite opposition groups collectively winning 10 out of 19 total seats in the Kolonna council, the NPP won the chairman election through a secret ballot. However, during the budget vote, opposition groups leveraged their majority to defeat the budget, raising serious questions about the NPP’s governance capabilities.
Critics highlight that these defeats in cooperative elections and local council budgets raise serious concerns about the NPP’s political power and governance capabilities for the coming year, viewing this as a massive setback for the government’s authority.
