The New Democratic Front (NDF) has informed the Election Commission that Faiszer Musthapha has been nominated to be appointed as a Member of Parliament through its National List, party sources said.

President’s Counsel Faiszer Musthapha, a senior lawyer and politician, had previously served as the Minister of Sports and Provincial Councils and Local Government. 

According to the results of the 2024 General Election, the New Democratic Front, which contested under the symbol of the ‘Gas Cylinder’, won three parliamentary seats and two National List seats.

The New Democratic Front was formed by the United National Party (UNP), the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and the ‘Podujana Eksath Nidahas Peramuna’ to contest the election. 

The other National List MP seat had been filled by former minister Ravi Karunanayake of the UNP, under somewhat controversial circumstances.

Accordingly, it had been proposed to name one member each from the ‘Podujana Eksath Nidahas Peramuna’ and the United National Party (UNP) for the two National List seats while the final decision on the matter was expected to be taken collectively by all parties in the alliance. 

A proposal had also been put forward to nominate former Minister Kanchana Wijesekera, who contested the election from Matara District but was not elected, for the position of National List MP from the ‘Podujana Eksath Nidahas Peramuna’ faction while a decision was yet to be taken on the other seat.

However, despite this the name of Ravi Karunanayake had been sent to the Election Commission on November 18, in writing by the General Secretary of the NDF, Mrs. Sharmila Perera, nominating him for one of the National List MP seats of the New Democratic Front.

This move had come under intense backlash from wihitn the alliance with it also being reported that former President Wickremesinghe had informed the representatives of the New Democratic Front that Karunanayake’s name had been forwarded for the position of National List MP in an arbitrary manner without his consent and the approval of the other parties in the alliance.

A committee was later appointed to look into the matter.