By Saman Indrajith Courtesy The Island

Avote of confidence in ousted Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, taken up in Parliament, yesterday, was passed with 117 MPs voting in favour of it and no votes against it as government MPs continued their boycott of the House.

All UNF MPs voted for the motion. The JVP MPs who were present abstained from voting. TNA MP Siavashakthi Anandan too abstained from voting while his party members voted with the UNP.

The motion extending support to Wickremesinghe was presented to Parliament by UNP Deputy Leader Sajith Premadasa. It had been signed by MPs Sajith Premadasa, Ravi Karunanayake, Akila Viraj Kariyawasam, Lakshman Kiriella, Dr. Rajitha Senaratne, Palany Thigambaram, Mangala Samaraweera and Rishad Bathiudeen. The vote of confidence said: “That this House resolves that Ranil Wickremesinghe, Member of Parliament, commands the confidence of Parliament to function as the Prime Minister.”

UNP leader Wickremesinghe thanking TNA leader R. Sampanthan after the latter’s grouping voted for the UNP in parliament yesterday (pic by Kamal Bogoda)

Moving the motion for debate MP Premadasa said that it should be taken up for a vote yesterday itself. He spoke for nearly one hour. The motion was seconded by MP Mangala Samaraweera.

TNA MP Mavai Senathiraja, too, spoke in favour of the motion. JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake stated that his party had nothing to do with the motion. MPs Ravi Karunanayake and Gayantha Karunathilaka too spoke for the motion and debate came to an end around 2.50 pm.

Thereafter the motion was put for a vote.

Speaker Karu Jayasuriya announcing the results said that the motion had been approved by 117 MPs and Wickremesinghe commanded the confidence of the Parliament to function as the Prime Minister.

Wickremesinghe thanked all those who had voted for the motion and sessions of parliament were adjourned around 3.05 pm till 1 pm on Dec 18.