Udaya Gammanpila of the Pivithuru Hela Urumaya alleged that a secret government survey shows voter support has fallen below 25%, which he claimed is the reason for the continued delay of provincial council elections.

Addressing a media briefing, Gammanpila challenged the government to announce provincial council elections within a month if the alleged survey report is false.

“If this report is false, I challenge the government to announce elections next month,” he said.

Gammanpila further claimed that the government secured 43% of the vote at the May 2025 local government elections, but that support has since declined to 24.7%.

He said that if provincial council elections are held at present, the government would be unable to win any council, and warned that further delays could result in an even sharper decline in voter support back to 3 per cent. (Newswire)

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Pivithuru Hela Urumaya leader and former Minister Udaya Gammanpila has described the conclusion of outgoing US Ambassador Julie Chung’s tenure in Sri Lanka as the end of a four‑year “curse” on the country.

Addressing the media today, Gammanpila called US Ambassador Julie Chung a “curse” and said her departure should be celebrated, eating milk rice.

“Julie Chung is set to end her tenure in Sri Lanka today. This is something the whole country must celebrate with drums and kiribath,” he added, taking a bite of a piece of kiribath, symbolically commencing the celebration. (Newswire)

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Pivithuru Hela Urumaya leader Udaya Gammanpila has accused the government of attempting to fabricate a new “mastermind” behind the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks to protect those he claims are truly responsible within the administration.

Speaking at a media briefing today (Feb. 3), Gammanpila said the government initially came to power promising to bring the real perpetrators to justice. However, he alleged that since some figures within the administration were involved, an alternative narrative was being created to mislead the public.

“The government is now engaged in an elaborate plan to frame a new mastermind, as those truly responsible are still within the administration,” he said without giving any evidence.

He further claimed that former Chief of Intelligence Maj. Gen. Suresh Sallay and former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa were being targeted as part of this effort. “The objective is to establish the false claim that Sri Lanka’s intelligence services carried out the Easter bombings to benefit Gotabaya Rajapaksa in the presidential election,” he added.

Gammanpila referenced a three-member presidential investigation committee, comprising a former Supreme Court judge, a former Air Force commander, and a President’s Counsel, which he said had dismissed allegations made by a UK-based Channel 4 documentary linking Sri Lanka’s intelligence agencies to the attacks. He accused the government of ignoring the report and pushing a misleading narrative.

He also alleged that Asad Maulana, the key witness in the alleged government plot, faces multiple criminal accusations, including fraud and identity deception. Gammanpila claimed the government was facilitating Maulana’s return to Sri Lanka to obtain a statement against intelligence officials while suppressing investigations into his alleged crimes.

The PHU leader posed eight questions to the government, police spokesperson, and relevant authorities, seeking clarity on the removal of Maulana’s foreign travel ban, alleged political interference in police investigations, and efforts to alter the Easter attacks’ narrative.

“We demand immediate responses from the government’s media spokesperson, the Inspector General of Police, or the police media division on these pressing concerns,” he said.

The 2019 Easter Sunday bombings, which killed over 260 people and injured hundreds, remain a politically sensitive issue in Sri Lanka, with ongoing disputes over accountability. (Newswire)

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PHU Leader Udaya Gammanpila accused President Anura Kumara Dissanayake of misleading the public regarding the development of the Trincomalee oil tank complex under a joint agreement with India.

Addressing a press conference, Gammanpila referred to the President’s recent statement in Katukurunda, claiming that 61 of the 99 tanks would be developed under a joint venture between Sri Lanka and India, while 24 tanks would remain under the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC). Gammanpila said the President presented this as a new initiative, but the project was finalized three years ago during his tenure as Minister of Energy.

“When I assumed duties in 2020, all 99 tanks had been under Indian control since 2002. Of these, only 14 were in use by Lanka IOC, and two were leased to a private company. The remaining 83 had been abandoned for 75 years. After prolonged negotiations, we recovered all 83 tanks, retaining 24 for CPC operations and assigning the rest for joint development under a new company, Trinco Petroleum Terminals Ltd. This agreement was signed on January 6, 2022,” he said.

Gammanpila noted that renovations of five tanks had begun in 2022 and are near completion. He criticized the President for inspecting these facilities without acknowledging prior efforts.

“The President should review the Ministry of Energy website, which documents this project’s history. I even presented this book titled “තෙල් ටැංකි යළි රටට” (Oil tanks back to the country) in Parliament. If he had read it, he wouldn’t make such misleading statements,” Gammanpila added.

The PHU leader also criticized the government for attempting to claim credit for previous projects. “Just as the Minister of Agriculture claimed credit for reviving the Hingurana sugar factory, while the current Energy Minister tried to take ownership of oil refinery projects, the President is now portraying this development as his own initiative,” he said.

Gammanpila accused the government of relying on misinformation to maintain power. He also highlighted resistance he faced while negotiating the oil tank agreement, particularly from NPP members at the time. “They protested across the country, claiming national security was at risk. After public debates, we exposed the truth and silenced these critics. It’s ironic they now accept the project was right,” Gammanpila said. (Newswire)

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