A senior Minister representing the SLFP is now on a desperate mission to broker a 'peace agreement' between the SLFP and the Joint Opposition, Asian Mirror reliably learns. 

The Minister has held a round of discussions with a joint Opposition stalwart at the latter's residence in Nugegoda on signing a no-contest pact with the JO at the forthcoming Local Government election. 

Under the proposed pact, the SLFP will not field candidate in electorates where the Joint Opposition holds sway and vice versa. 

The Minister had repeatedly pointed out during he discussions that the division of the SLFP would only contribute to the UNP victory at the Local Government elections fixed for January, next year. 

Several senior SLFP members in the Sirisena group had encourage the senior Cabinet Minister to proceed with the talks and arrive at an agreement with the Joint Opposition. 

However, informed SLFP sources said it was unclear if President Maithripala Sirisena, the party chairman, was in favour of a no-contest agreement.