Failing to secure oppn support, SL govt to lose majority in parliament: Coalition partner

By Susitha Fernado

Colombo, April 5 (SocialNews.XYZ) Failing to secure opposition support to form an all-party cabinet, the Gotabaya Rajapaska government would lose its majority when the Parliament is convened on Tuesday, a ruling coalition MP has predicted.

Udaya Gammanpila, the former Energy Minister and a leader of one of the coalition parties in the government, tweeted: "The #SLPP Government will lose its majority in Parliament marking its Beginning of the End."

Gammanpila also criticised Monday's appointment of four ministers for the new cabinet saying: "New cabinet is old wine in a new bottle."

"Our demand is for an all party interim government to restore essential services and to hold a parliamentary election. People should decide their next leaders, not by anybody else," he added.

Another SLPP MP and former Minister Nimal Lanza told media that the government would definitely lose its majority in Parliament as over 50 lawmakers have decided to work independently from Tuesday. The MP urged government to hand over power to the opposition.

Lanza told media that once the group of 50 MPs withdraw on Tuesday, the government would lose the majority of 113 out of 225 total MPs in the parliament.

Meanwhile, the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), the main coalition partner of Rajapsaka's Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), announced that all 14 lawmakers would leave the government and stand independent at the parliament.

SLFP MP Mahinda Amaraweera told media that the decision to leave the government was taken as the government had not heeded to their requests over the last six months.

However following a meeting of the parliamentary group of the government on Monday night, MP and former Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage said that 132 MPs have assured of their support to the government at the parliament.

Gotabaya Rajapaksa, a former Defence Secretary in his brother Mahinda Rajapaksa's government, played a crucial role to end 26-year-long war against Tamil rebel Tigers. At the 2019 Presidential election, he was elected President with a sweeping 2/3 majority with over 6.9 million votes.

Lack of dollar reserves and depreciation forced economic crisis lead to severe shortages of fuel, LP gas, electricity and essential food and people are demanding Rajapaksa to give up power immediately.

Source: IANS