Filling the Attanagalla Seat

The political landscape in Ceylon underwent a tumultuous shift following the assassination of S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike, which led to the disintegration of the Mahajana Eksath Peramuna coalition. This event triggered a series of political upheavals, resulting in the removal and arrest of several cabinet ministers associated with the incident. The coalition's collapse created a power vacuum, prompting the need for elections to fill the vacant seat in the Attanagalla constituency. In this context, elections were scheduled, reflecting the urgency to restore political stability and representation in Parliament. Bandaranaike, despite his reluctance, agreed to contest as an independent candidate, indicating his continued influence in the political arena despite the chaos surrounding him. However, the situation escalated further when Parliament was dissolved before the elections could take place, complicating the political scenario even more.