For that, a party called ‘Apey Nidahas Peramuna’ was registered with the involvement of Basil Rajapaksa before the last general election.

The elections commissioner had refused to give it the lotus symbol, which the UPFA had used during its propaganda campaign, as it is considered a national symbol.

Later, his consent was given for a symbol of a lotus bud, minus several petals from the original lotus flower symbol.

Name change

However, the party is expected to get its name changed, as the first letter of the Sinhala alphabet, with which its name begins, is considered inauspicious.

The joint opposition has made plans to field groups of candidates separately for the local government bodies, excepting several ones the north and the east.