To jointly Contest polls JO gives SLFP ultimatum Vote against Budget on 9 Dec
Posted on November 29th, 2017
By Gagani Weerakoon Courtesy Ceylon Today
The Joint Opposition, led by former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, yesterday decided to issue an ultimatum to the Sri Lanka Freedom Party, led by President Maithripala Sirisena, for the two parties to come together at the Local Government Polls to be held next year.
The JO group, which met in a committee room at the Parliament Complex last afternoon, under the patronage of MP Rajapaksa, decided to demand that the SLFP should show their resolve by casting the final vote, on 9 December, against the Budget 2018.
If not, the JO will go its own way at the upcoming Local Government polls.
This has given rise to speculation that depending on the response to this demand, the negotiations being conducted between these two factions of the SLFP,……by two subcommittees appointed by the two parties, will also come to an end.
“It was decided that there is no point in dragging discussions between the two factions if they do not show any commitment. We are confident already in contesting alone and if the SLFP does not vote against Budget on 9 December, we will go ahead under the Lotus Bud and contest under Sri Lanka Podujana Party banner. Our supporters at grassroots do not encourage any further discussions with no end at the sight,” MP Gamini Lokuge told the media after the meeting.
If the SLFP does vote against the Budget, it will spell the end of the Unity Government which will then precipitate a major political crisis. According to Lokuge, the group led by the former President has also informed their committee members, C.B. Ratnayaka, Pavithra Devi Wanniarachchi and Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena to discuss this demand with Ministers Nimal Siripala de Silva, Anura Priyadarshana Yapa and Lasantha Alagiyawanna who represent the Maithri faction, last evening.
The main demand from the joint opposition to SLFP, in order to come to an agreement on contesting future elections together, was to leave the UNP-led Government.
November 29th, 2017 at 3:43 pm
Gotabaya got a temporary stay order against his arrest. This gives Rajapaksas more clout in discussions with the SLFP. These discussions seem to be daily! The news item should be taken with a pinch of salt.
[Quote] The JO decided to demand that the SLFP should show their resolve by casting the final vote, on 9 December, against the Budget 2018.[Unquote]
The demand has not been made. JO had only decided to make this demand. What will JO leaders do? They never voted against UNP budgets final voting for 2 years. Will they also vote against the UNP budget? If they abstain (or abscond) from voting, UNP budget will pass with or without the SLFP. Even if they vote against, UNP and TNA together have 119 votes.
So this demand makes little sense. It is only symbolic.
Sirisena gets his presidential commission’s report on the bond fraud on December 9 as well. What he decides will be crucial. Most likely he will not take action for now. He will hold on to the report until the 2019 presidential election. If Ranil contests against Sirisena, he will file action against Ranil using this report. He has similar presidential commission reports against all Rajapaksas which he will use selectively in 2019. Blackmail (“file” theory) is the name of the dirty political game.
November 29th, 2017 at 3:48 pm
This is equivalent to calling SLFP (Renegade/MS) faction’s bluff. If they respond positively by voting against Budget 2018, it will certainly precipitate a welcome end to a political shotgun marriage that has wreaked havoc on the country. If the so-called yahapalana alliance (UNP, Hansa group, TNA, JVP), which after the deliberately falsified/distorted result of the August 2015 parliamentary election divided itself into two groups as the government and the appointed opposition, repairs that opportunistic breach and forms an unambiguous UNP-TNA led regime with the reunited SLFP leading the opposition, then the result will be good for the whole country.
November 29th, 2017 at 3:54 pm
But this will not happen, given the well known policy of succumbing to ‘international and so-called Tamil Diaspora’ pressure, adopted by the yahapalana leaders.
November 29th, 2017 at 7:11 pm
IF these two parties do NOT unify, UNP WINS.
This is the reality.
MR CANNOT total subdue MS.
MS CANNOT total subdue MR.
They will be BATTLING. UNP will win.
These politicians should put NATION first. But their priority is ONLY them.
November 29th, 2017 at 9:46 pm
Lorenzo you want to bet? Keep in your mind that UNP will never win any election. UNP is the most corrupt party at the moment. Bond scam is enough. They are the biggest thieves in the history of Sri Lanka please remember and most of their big guns have corrupt cases against them in courts. They are responsible for all the hardships people are going through today. High cost of living is their make. Selling our lands, assets etc are their ideas. So don’t worry JO will win with or without SLFP 100% no mistakes about it. Ordinary people prefer certainly without SLFP so I hope JO will listen to the ordinary people’s voices. Damn with this horrible, treacherous, weak Yamapalanaya government. Today parliament is like peliyagoda fish market. MP’s acts like first grade children. They don’t talk about issues but slinging mud at each other. Not a single day without mentioning Mahinda Rajapaksa’s name by this corrupt members in the UNP. It’s a record to mention one person’s name everyday. So don’t keep any doubts about JO. They are the people’s party at the moment. Don’t listen to the lies and bogus promises of the UNP or the SLFP traitors. Use your vote wisely. Make JO the winner under the brave leadership of our great President Mahinda Rajapaksa. To save Motherland we need a president of his calibre who told the white man to “mind your own business”.