Feb 13, Colombo: Sri Lanka's Marxist party Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) says it would not join any joint opposition formed by the main opposition United National Party (UNP).

JVP parliamentary group leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake said the policies of the UNP were similar to the current government and what the country needs is an alternative and not a substitute.

Referring to the statement made by the UNP that only an alliance formed by the UNP could defeat the government, the JVP MP observed that any alliance formed by the UNP would not be able to win an election.

He explained that the country has witnessed financial mismanagement, corruption, wastage and inability to address people's problems during UNP governments.

"Therefore, there's no great difference between the existing government and the UNP. People of the country are in need of a system that would bring social justice and fair play and bring about a change to the current system," Dissanayake said.

The UNP formed a common opposition named as the Protest of the Opposition with several minor political parties recently with the aim to defeat the government at the next elections.