The Janata Vimukti Peramuna is set to lose a second seat in Parliament with the resignation of Vasantha Samarasinghe. He had resigned from Parliament to contest North Central Provincial Council polls as the JVP’s chief ministerial candidate and his vacancy is likely to be filled by the UPFA.

Recently Kegalle District JVP member Anuruddha Polgampola resigned after he had allegedly violated Japanese Immigration laws.

UPFA General Secretary Minister Susil Premajayantha told The Island yesterday (15) that Samarasinghe was nominated by the UPFA through the national list to the Parliament and it was up to the UPFA to nominate a person to fill the vacancy. "But we have not yet decided on a candidate to fill the vacancy in the national list. As soon as we take a decision we will write to the Commissioner of Elections to fill the vacancy," he said.

Meanwhile, the National Freedom Front yesterday said that yet another JVP Pradeshiya Sabha member of the Palindanuwara PS Sanath Wijewickrama had defected to FNN protesting against the JVP hierarchy failing to explain why the JVP split and also for demanding a letter of resignation from him.