Former Minister Basil Rajapaksa took membership of the Sri Lanka Podujana Party led by Prof. G.L. Peiris.

The new party is thought to be the political movement created by the Joint Opposition. However, there is some dissent over the formation of the party within the JO.

Prof. Tissa Vitharana of the LSSP said yesterday that the party is for disillusioned SLFP members. The LSSP and other left parties of the JO will form an alliance with the new party, he further said.