Thirteen opposition parties, including the main opposition faction, led by former prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, formed an alliance yesterday to contest the presidential and parliamentary elections expected to be held next year.
Wickremesinghe, who is also the current leader of the opposition in parliament, formed the alliance with a breakaway party from the government led by a former minister, the main Muslim party in the country and a party representing the Tamil ethnic minority.
They planned to put forward a common presidential candidate and jointly contest the parliamentary elections.
Dates for the polls have not been announced although government sources have hinted that a presidential poll would be held in January, nearly two years before their due date. Parliamentary elections were due to follow soon after as the six-year term of parliament ends in April.
The opposition claims that President Mahinda Rajapakse, who completes his fourth year in office this year, has decided for snap polls because his popularity is dwindling. DPA