CMS expects half a million political activists in Colombo

May Day rallies:

by Chaminda Silva

Colombo Municipal Council Commissioner Bhadrani Jayawardena said political parties, including the UNP, SLPP, SJB and JVP/NPP and many civil organisations, have reserved public grounds and places in the city for the upcoming May Day celebrations.

She said that the Municipal authorities expect around 500,000 persons to arrive in Colombo and arrangements were being made for accommodating them.

In addition to the May Day, there would be birthday anniversary commemorations of Ranasinghe Premadasa, TB Illangaratne and AE Gunasinghe at several places in the city on the same day.

The UNP May Day rally is scheduled to commence at 2 pm at Maligawatta with President Ranil Wickremesinghe. It is the first time since the 1993 assassination of Ranasinghe Premadasa, a sitting UNP President is leading a May Day rally.

The SJB rally is scheduled to commence at 1.00 pm on Chatham Street with Opposition and SJB Leader Sajith Premadasa presiding.

The NP/JVP holds four May Day rallies around the country. The first to start is scheduled to be held at Nanthai Selva Hall, in Jaffna, at 10 am.  The JVP May Day march is scheduled to start at 2 pm from the CWW Kannangara Grounds Mawatha and is expected to reach the BRC Grounds to commence their rally at 3.30 pm. A march that is to commence from the Rahula Junction in Matara at 2 pm will lead to a rally at Matara Beach Zone from 3.30 pm. In Anuradhapura, the NPP/JVP march will commence from the Walisinghe Harischandra Grounds at 2.00 pm and lead to Public Grounds for the May Day rally scheduled to commence at 3.30 pm.

The Frontline Socialist Party will hold their May Day rally at Hyde Park. The Free Trade Zone Union will hold their rally at the Vihara Maha Devi Park, Ceylon Bank Employees’ Union near Temple Trees, while many other parties and organisations have reserved parks and grounds for their rallies.