Jamila Husain Courtesy The Daily Mirror

Former Foreign Minister G.L. Peiris, former Central Bank Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal and President’s Counsel Ali Sabry will enter Parliament through the National List under the ticket of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), government sources told Daily Mirror yesterday.

Sources said SLPP General Secretary Sagara Kariyawasam and MP Wimal Weerawansa had also been nominated by the SLPP.

SLPP Chairman G.L. Peiris has held a political career since the early ’90s but lost his parliamentary seat in 2015 when he was not nominated to the National List from the UPFA. Ali Sabry and Cabraal – who was appointed last November as Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa’s Senior Advisor on Economic Affairs – will enter Parliament for the first time.

Moreover, the premier will contest the April 25 general election from the Kurunegala District while his brother Chamal will contest from the Hambantota District. Former President Maithripala Sirisena from the SLFP will contest from the Polonnaruwa District.

Daily Mirror learns that Prime Minister Rajapaksa had informed his party that contestants would not be able to change their electorates and that they would have to contest from their respective electorates.

Several new names are expected to be added to the electoral list by the SLPP.