The Mahajana Eksath Peramuna (People's United Front) was electoral alliance founded in 1956. It consisted of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party

Sri Lanka Freedom Party

The Sri Lanka Freedom Party is one of the major political parties in Sri Lanka. It was founded by S.W.R.D Bandaranaike in 1951 and, since then, has been one of the two largest parties in the Sri Lankan political arena. It first came to power in 1956 and since then has been the predominant party in...

 led by S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike, Viplavakari Lanka Sama Samaja Party

Viplavakari Lanka Sama Samaja Party

Viplavakari Lanka Sama Samaja Party was a group that broke away from the Trotskyist Lanka Sama Samaja Party, since Philip Gunawardena refused to reconcile with the Bolshevik Samasamaja Party...

 led by Philip Gunawardena

Philip Gunawardena

Don Philip Rupasinghe Gunawardena introduced Trotskyism to Sri Lanka, where he is a national hero, known as 'the Father of Socialism' and as 'the Lion of Boralugoda'.-Early life & education:...

 and Sinhala Bhasha Peramuna (Sinhala Language Front) led by Wijeyananda Dahanayake

Wijeyananda Dahanayake

Wijeyananda Dahanayake was a Sri Lankan political figure. He was the Prime Minister of Ceylon from 1959 to 1960.-Early Life:...

.

The alliance won the 1956 elections and formed the government.

The MEP alliance fell apart in May 1959 after Philip Gunawardena

Philip Gunawardena

Don Philip Rupasinghe Gunawardena introduced Trotskyism to Sri Lanka, where he is a national hero, known as 'the Father of Socialism' and as 'the Lion of Boralugoda'.-Early life & education:...

 and William de Silva

William de Silva

Peduru Hewage William de Silva was a 20th century Ceylonese politician with Marxist/Trotskyist leanings.P. H. William de Silva was born at Kahatapitiya in Batapola, Ambalangoda, Ceylon, to a wealthy land-owning family...

 resigned from the government. The VLSSP joined the opposition.

The Mahajana Eksath Peramuna name was carried forward by Philip Gunawardena

Philip Gunawardena

Don Philip Rupasinghe Gunawardena introduced Trotskyism to Sri Lanka, where he is a national hero, known as 'the Father of Socialism' and as 'the Lion of Boralugoda'.-Early life & education:...

 who founded a new political party called Mahajana Eksath Peramuna

Mahajana Eksath Peramuna

The Mahajana Eksath Peramuna is a left-wing political party in Sri Lanka. Today the party is led by Dinesh Gunawardena, son of Philip Gunawardena....

in 1959.