Sri Lanka's main opposition party, the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), has levelled serious accusations against the ruling National People's Power (NPP) government, alleging that it is actively working to create conditions that would allow the reappointment of former Cabinet minister Kumara Jayakody. Jayakody resigned from his ministerial post on 17 April 2026 following a major coal procurement scandal that erupted in 2025, sending shockwaves through Sri Lanka's already fragile political landscape. The opposition's allegations have reignited public debate over government accountability, transparency, and the true scale of financial losses inflicted on the state.
Marikkar Sounds the Alarm in Parliament
Colombo District Member of Parliament S.M. Marikkar raised the alarm on Tuesday, 13 May 2026, during a fiery parliamentary session, claiming that the financial damage caused by the coal scam far exceeds what many had initially estimated. According to Marikkar, the losses stemming from the controversial coal procurement deal are more than twice the amount lost during the infamous Treasury bond scam — one of the most damaging financial scandals in Sri Lanka's recent history. If accurate, this would make the coal scandal one of the costliest corruption cases the country has ever witnessed.
Marikkar's remarks were pointed and unambiguous. He accused the NPP administration of not only failing to hold those responsible fully accountable but of actively engineering a political environment in which Jayakody could be brought back into the Cabinet fold. The SJB MP argued that such a move would be a direct affront to public trust and a signal that the government is unwilling to genuinely combat corruption within its own ranks.
The Coal Scam: What Happened?
The coal scandal centers on alleged irregularities in the procurement of coal for Sri Lanka's power generation sector during 2025. Critics and opposition lawmakers have claimed that the deal involved inflated prices, questionable supplier selections, and a lack of proper tendering procedures — all of which resulted in massive financial losses for the state. Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) and related energy sector institutions are said to have been directly impacted by the fallout.
Kumara Jayakody, who held a key ministerial portfolio at the time, came under intense scrutiny as details of the procurement process began to surface. Despite initial denials and calls for internal investigations, mounting political pressure ultimately forced his resignation in April 2026. His departure was seen by many as an acknowledgment of the severity of the situation, though Jayakody himself has not publicly admitted to any wrongdoing.
Opposition Questions Government's True Intentions
The SJB's central concern is that Jayakody's resignation may have been a temporary political maneuver rather than a genuine step toward accountability. Marikkar and other SJB members argue that behind-the-scenes efforts are underway to rehabilitate Jayakody's political standing and eventually return him to a position of power within the Cabinet. They contend that such a move would undermine the integrity of any ongoing investigations and send a deeply troubling message to the Sri Lankan public.
The opposition has called on the NPP government to be transparent about its intentions regarding Jayakody and to ensure that all individuals implicated in the coal scandal face proper legal scrutiny. SJB lawmakers have also demanded that an independent parliamentary committee be established to conduct a thorough investigation into the procurement irregularities, with findings made available to the public.
Comparison to the Treasury Bond Scam
Marikkar's comparison of the coal scandal to the Treasury bond scam is particularly significant given the enormous political and economic weight that the bond scam carried in Sri Lanka's collective memory. The Treasury bond scandal, which came to light in 2015 and 2016, resulted in billions of rupees in losses to the state and led to a Presidential Commission of Inquiry. It also became a defining political issue that shaped election outcomes for years afterward.
By suggesting that the coal scam losses are more than double those of the bond scandal, Marikkar is framing the current controversy as an even graver threat to public finances. Whether or not the full extent of the losses can be independently verified, the comparison has clearly been designed to galvanize public opinion and increase pressure on the government to act decisively.
Government Yet to Formally Respond
As of the time of reporting, the NPP government had not issued a formal response to the SJB's specific allegations regarding Jayakody's potential reappointment. Government spokespersons have previously maintained that all necessary steps are being taken to investigate the coal procurement process and that no decisions regarding Cabinet reshuffles would be made without due consideration of public interest.
However, the opposition remains unconvinced, and the political temperature surrounding this issue continues to rise. With Sri Lanka still navigating economic recovery and working to restore public confidence in state institutions, the coal scandal and its political aftermath represent a critical test of the NPP government's commitment to the transparency and anti-corruption agenda it championed during its rise to power. The coming weeks are likely to prove decisive in determining how this controversy ultimately unfolds.