Professor G.L. Peiris, a key figure in the Joint Opposition supporting former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, has been named as the leader of a political party, which has been renamed as Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna.

Our Sri Lanka Freedom Front which was led by Wimal Geeganage was renamed as Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna. The new party name has been submitted to the Elections Commission.

This move is significant since the Joint Opposition has been hinting at the launch of a new party on November 18, the birthday of former President Rajapaksa.

Geeganage contested the 2005 Presidential Election under the Sri Lanka National Front and received 6,639 votes.