News Today: Ravi Karunanayake nominated to the National List by NDF

Former Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake has been gazetted by the Election Commission to fill one of the two National List seats allotted to the New Democratic Front (NDF). The move has sparked controversy, as the United National Party (UNP) claims the nomination was made without informing party leadership.

According to NDF sources, the party’s secretary nominated Karunanayake for the seat, bypassing the planned meeting to decide the nominees. The NDF had initially decided to allocate one seat to the UNP and the other to the SLPP faction aligned with former President Ranil Wickremesinghe.

UNP members have expressed outrage, calling for disciplinary action against Karunanayake. An emergency meeting is scheduled today to address the situation, with many accusing Karunanayake of self-appointing himself to the NDF’s national list.

Karunanayake, however, confirmed his nomination to the media, stating it was approved by the NDF. The Election Commission has also validated his submission. With tensions rising, the political landscape is heating up.