Former State Minister Buddhika Pathirana has been nominated as the Samagi Jana Balawegaya District Leader for Matara.

Pathirana will lead the party's election campaign at the upcoming Parliamentary election for the Matara district.

Pathirana will replace Mangala Samaraweera who withdrew from the Parliamentary election last evening.

The former State Minister has topped the UNP's preferential votes list for Matara at the last two Parliamentary elections.