Powerful figures in the UNP and the SJB have held talks with the belief that the two parties should become one before the presidential polls.
If SJB leader Sajith Premadasa is not agreeable to that, the UNP should get leading figures such as Harsha de Silva, Sarath Fonseka, Rajitha Senaratne, Thalatha Athukorale and Rohini Kaviratne to join it.
They say the UNP should govern the country for a long time to come by forming a strong government with Premadasa rejoining the UNP and exchanging powers with Ranil Wickremesinghe.
Foreign diplomatic missions too, are quite interested in such an eventuality.
If that happens, the SJB-UNP can shun the Rajapaksas and wrest the NPP of its present popularity among the people.
However, either Wickremesinghe or Premadasa is yet to agree to such a reunion.
