Sri Lanka women’s cricket official Apsari Sinhabahu Thilakaratne has been appointed as the chief organizer of Samagi Jana Balawega (SJB) Colombo West in the upcoming general elections.
Along with Apsari Tillakaratne and her husband, former Sri Lankan cricket captain Hashan Tillakaratne, they supported Sajith Premadasa, the leader of Samagi Jana Balawega, in the 2024 presidential election.
Speaking to the media after his new appointment, Apsari Singhabahu Thilakaratne stated that her role includes identifying young women in various rural areas and helping them represent the nation through sports.
She is going to contest from Colombo district in the 2024 parliamentary elections. However, with the entry of Apsari Tillakaratne into politics from Colombo, political sources say that former MP Hirunika Premachandra’s political affairs have been severely challenged and even her nomination in the election is doubtful.
Although it is believed that Hirunika will be appointed to the National List MP post, vacant by the departure of Harin Fernando, the SJB will not fill that position until the parliament is dissolved. SJB internal sources say that there is a strong media channel behind not appointing Hirunika Premachandra to that position, and that channel will also take the responsibility of politically confirming Apsari Thilakaratne.