According to political sources, there are many conflicts of opinion regarding the appointment of MPs for the national list of parties. It is said that it is due to the fact that many former ministers have put in a lot of effort to get the position of national list members of their parties.
Former MPs have been trying hard to get into the national list without contesting this year's general election. According to the sources, the conflicts of opinion within the parties have been aggravated by the party leaders asking many of them to contest in the general election. Sources have further said that these matters have escalated to the collapsing of parties.
Also, nearly thirty former MPs have decided not to stand for this year's general election. Mr. Prasanna Ranatunga, who served as the Minister of Urban Development and Housing in the previous government, has confirmed that he will not contest this year's general election. Also, Mr. Kanaka Herath, who served as the Minister of State for Technology in the previous government, Mr. Chamal Rajapaksa, former Member of Parliament of Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna, Hambantota District, and former Member of Parliament of Ratnapura District, W.D.J.Senavirathna, former Member of Parliament of Ampara district Mr. Wimalaweera Dissanayake, and Deputy Secretary of the United Nations Party Mr. Akila Viraj Kariyawasam will not contest this year's general election.