The Liberal Party or the Liberal Democratic Party has been acquired by MP Nimal Lanza and other MPs who are currently acting independently in Parliament.
The Liberal Party was established about four decades ago in 1981 by Dr. Chanaka Amaratunga, a long-time member of the United National Party (UNP).
The Liberal Party broke away from the UNP in 1982 following a 1982 referendum that postponed parliamentary elections for six years.
After four years of efforts to promote liberalism in Sri Lanka, particularly Constitutional reforms promoting decentralisation, Dr. Amaratunga and others registered the party in 1987.
Following Mr. Amaratunga’s death in a car accident in 1996, Professor Rajiva Wijesinghe was the outstanding political leader of the Liberal Party.
In 2022, the Liberal Party changed its name to Liberal Democratic Party along with the first party convention held in July, 2022.
Kamal Nishanka is the current leader of the party and Amal Randeniya is the general secretary.
Once Lanza’s group joins the Liberal Party, a new board of officials will be appointed and the Elections Commissioner’s Office will be informed of the changes.
Future political activities of the Lanza’s group will be conducted under the Liberal Party.
Meanwhile, it was reported that MP Anura Priyadarshana Yapa has been appointed to lead the operations of the new alliance formed by the Lansa’s party.
Ministers Susil Premajayantha, Nalin Fernando and MP Piyankara Jayaratne are the other activists.
This group is reportedly planning to make its first political rally in January 2024 in a grand manner.
