Following UPFA Parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa's announcement that he would obtain membership of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) to contest the election, many young MPs have decided to follow suit and leave the SLFP. 

UPFA Parliamentarians Kanchana Wijesekera, Shehan Semasinghe, and D.V. Chanaka already announced that they would leave the SLFP to obtain membership with the SLPP. Many other MPs too, who worked with the Joint Opposition before the dissolution of Parliament, are expected to join them over the weekend. 

According to the SLFP constitution, their party membership ceases to function with them obtaining membership with another political party. They are yet to reach a final decision on the name of the common alliance and its symbol. "Contesting under the UPFA (Betel leaf) is one option. But there are several other options as well. It's still too early comment on the matter," a party MP told Asian Mirror. 

However, the two parties have decided to contest the Parliamentary election together, under one alliance.