Minister of Public Security Ananda Wijepala informed Parliament yesterday that investigations have revealed links between several opposition politicians and underworld gangs.
He stated that individuals with such connections were among the candidates who contested the recent local government elections, including nine from the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), eight from the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), four from the People’s Alliance, three from the United National Party (UNP), and one from the Sarwajana Balaya.
The minister made these remarks in response to a query by opposition MP Dayasiri Jayasekara, who criticised the government for failing to address the recent rise in killings.
Jayasekara also recalled that National People’s Power (NPP) leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake had pledged to confront underworld gangs, a promise he said remains unfulfilled.
