Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) Ratnapura District MP Thalatha Athukorala has informed parliament that she will be resigning from her position as a Member of Parliament.She made the announcement while delivering a statement in Parliament today (21).Thalatha Athukorala, the sister of the late United National Party (UNP) politician Gamini Athukorala, first entered Parliament in 2004.She has been re-elected in subsequent general elections in 2010, 2015, and 2020 from the Ratnapura District.In the 2020 general election, she secured her seat in Parliament as a member of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) with 45,105 votes from the Ratnapura District.Delivering her special statement in parliament today, Athukorala said the following:This is a very emotional moment for me.
On one side, our mother party - the United National Party has split into two.
Both the leader and former deputy leader of that party have become political enemies.
Both are vying to become president.
At a time when everyone is trying to unite, I cannot wholeheartedly agree with the decision for our camp to divide and contest separately.I believe that the decision for the two leaders to separate and contest is a selfish political decision taken without thinking about the future of the country.
History will prove that in the near future.
If I continue to remain silent about it, I will also become an indirect contributor to that sin.I will never stop my political journey and I will say that with pride and courage at this moment.
I have no regrets of leaving my position as an MP.
Today, I am facing that crucial moment and this is the first time I am informing this to the parliament.I do not wish for the party to split even though I won as a candidate of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya, I still continue to think whether the decision we took back then without thinking about the future was the correct decision.The thought of whether I contributed to the division of our great party makes me feel sadder than the happiness of the MP position I gained.