Two recent incidents have cast a shadow over the National People’s Power’s (NPP) commitment to disciplinary governance and its carefully cultivated public image. The first involves the son of the Matara Pradeshiya Sabha’s Deputy Chairman, an NPP-controlled council, who was remanded until the 17th of this month for allegedly assaulting a school student.
The assault reportedly occurred in front of the Matara railway station. The victim, the son of a Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) Matara Municipal Council member, is currently receiving treatment at Karapitiya Hospital. The decision to remand the suspect was made after he was presented before the Matara Chief Magistrate. Political analysts suggest that such acts of violence involving the sons of local NPP representatives severely damage the “clean politics” image built by the party’s top leader, Anura Kumara Dissanayake.
Internal “Disappointment” Over NPP Candidates Revealed in Leaked Audio!
Adding to the party’s woes, an audio recording, believed to be a conversation between current NPP Minister Upali Pannilage and a group of party activists, has surfaced online. The recording reportedly reveals internal dissatisfaction within the NPP regarding the selection of candidates for local government elections, which were slated to be held before the 2024 Presidential Election.
According to the audio, party activists question Pannilage about the candidate selection process, expressing a clear lack of approval for certain local government candidates. The core reason for this disapproval is a serious concern among party members that such individuals could damage Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s image. Critics argue that the emergence of questions about the “purity” of selected representatives from within the NPP, a party promising a new political culture, clearly highlights the gap between the party’s stated policies and its grassroots operations.
