Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa is expected to make a special statement at the Joint Opposition Rally in Rathnapura today, MP Dinesh Gunawardena has said.

The JO rally will be held at 3.00 p.m. in Ratnapura. It is dubbed "aragalayata pana povana nava janatha balavegaya" (new people's movement tempering the struggle). It is widely believed that a landmark decision on launching a new movement will be announced.

There are two camps within the JO on the matter of launching a new party, with a sizable minority opposed to the idea.