Srilanka, May 18 -- A political standoff is brewing as the Opposition parties, led by the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) and Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa, have stepped up efforts to form Local Council administrations in areas where the ruling National People's Power (NPP) failed to secure majorities in the recent Local Government (LG) elections.

Former Speaker and ex-SLPP MP Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena is said to be involved in a series of reported meetings, which Government sources have described as an undemocratic attempt to wrest control of local authorities from the NPP through political alliances. In response, the NPP has condemned what it called a blatant effort to bypass the democratic process and override the public mandate del...