By Shamindra Ferdinando
President Maithripala Sirisena has called for a meeting with three UPFA constituents today (Aug. 31) to explore the possibility of reaching a consensus regarding their role before Parliament meets tomorrow.
The Presidential Secretariat has requested Ratnapura District MP-elect Vasudeva Nanayakkara (Democratic Left Front), Colombo District MP-elect Dinesh Gunawardena (Mahajana Eksath Peramuna) and Colombo District MP-elect Wimal Weerawansa (National Freedom Front) to meet President Maithripala Sirisena.
Well informed sources told The Island that the fate of the UPFA would largely depend on the outcome of today’s meeting scheduled to take place at the Paget Road residence of President Maithripala Sirisena.
Addressing the media at NFF party office at Battaramulla yesterday, Wimal Weerawansa said that they would attend the meeting. He addressed the media after having met Vasudeva Nanayakkara and Dinesh Gunawardena to map out strategy.
Today’s meeting is the first since the Aug. 17 parliamentary polls.
Weerawansa said that they would inform President Maithripala Sirisena of their stand regarding the proposed national government as well as the on-going attempt to haul Sri Lankan political leaders, officials and military before a war crimes tribunal.
Responding to a query, Weerawansa insisted that they wouldn’t join any alliance with the UNP under any circumstances. Declaring that the people would be informed of the outcome of their talks with President Maithripala Sirisena, Weewansa urged the print and electronic media not to be deceived by lies propagated by some social media networks.
Weerawansa alleged the proposed UNP-SLFP marriage of convenience had plunged both parties into crisis. Those who had exercised their franchise for the UNP strongly resented the efforts to accommodate SLFPers in the so-called national government. The NFF leader pointed out that those UNPers who had voted for Thalatha Atukorale were furious over the move to offer a better portfolio to John Seneviratne than the one given to UNP veteran Atukorale. That was due to the fact both contested the Ratnapura District, the former Minister said.
Asked for an update regarding their efforts to establish an alternative Opposition grouping in Parliament and whether former President Mahinda Rajapaksa was throwing his weight behind it, Weerawansa said that they hadn’t so far discussed the move with the former leader.
Weerawansa said that the NFF wouldn’t oppose the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) taking over the post of the Opposition Leader in case the grouping had the highest number of elected members seated in the Opposition. In that case, the NFF’s position was irrelevant, Weerawansa said, adding that President Maithripala Sirisena shouldn’t intervene in the appointment of the Opposition Leader.
The TNA secured 16 seats, including two National List slots.
Weerawansa emphasised that the right thinking people couldn’t accept President Maithripala Sirisena seeking to make all key appointments in Parliament. A smiling Weerawansa said that former President Mahinda Rajapaksa had intervened on behalf of the then UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, though he never acted in a manner detrimental parliamentary democracy.
The NFF said that the proposed UNP-SLFP arrangement in Parliament couldn’t be called a national government under any circumstances due to many elected members not joining the outfit. Even the SLFP had been divided over the proposal, Weerawansa said, alleging that the JVP’s call for a debate on the formation of the national government was contrary to the 19th Amendment to the Constitution. Weerawansa accused the JVP of conspiring with the UNP to subvert parliamentary democracy.
Weerawansa asserted that the President Maithripala Sirisena-PM Wickremesinghe government’s latest project was very much similar to the one adopted during the 100-day project.
Courtesy:The Island