A senior member of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) has told Asian Mirror that the only way to avoid a split in the party is for SJB leader Sajith Premadasa to join forces with the United National Party (UNP). The source said that this would enable Premadasa to work under President Ranil Wickremesinghe as the new Prime Minister.

However, Premadasa has so far resisted the offer, despite coming under severe pressure from his party colleagues to accept it. This has led to concerns that a group of SJB MPs may join the government, creating a split in the main opposition party.

One senior SJB MP, Rajitha Senaratane, has already indicated that he will join the government and is said to be in negotiations to join a common alliance. Meanwhile, MP Mano Ganesan is attempting to broker a deal between Wickremesinghe and Premadasa, but the latter is reportedly not in favour of a common alliance.

The situation has created uncertainty within the SJB, with many members concerned about the impact of a split on the party's electoral prospects. The SJB was formed in 2020, largely by a group of former UNP members who had broken away from the party.