{"id":93163,"date":"2019-09-20T15:02:21","date_gmt":"2019-09-20T22:02:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/?p=93163"},"modified":"2019-09-20T15:02:21","modified_gmt":"2019-09-20T22:02:21","slug":"last-ditch-bid-to-abolish-executive-presidency-blamed-on-ranil-as-slfp-throws-its-weight-behind-gotabaya","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/2019\/09\/20\/last-ditch-bid-to-abolish-executive-presidency-blamed-on-ranil-as-slfp-throws-its-weight-behind-gotabaya\/","title":{"rendered":"Last ditch bid to abolish executive presidency blamed on Ranil as SLFP throws its weight behind Gotabaya"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Shamindra Ferdinando Courtesy The Island<\/em><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n
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After vehemently denying President Maithripala Sirisena had backed UNP leader and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe\u2019s last ditch attempt to abolish the executive presidency ahead of Nov. 16 presidential poll, the SLFP, yesterday, assured that it wouldn\u2019t undermine SLPP presidential candidate Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
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The assurance was given by UPFA lawmaker Thilanga Sumathipala, who claimed that President Sirisena, in his capacity as the head of the cabinet called a special cabinet meeting on Thursday (19) to discuss abolition of the executive presidency, as requested by PM Wickremesinghe.
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National List MP Sumathipala dealt with the contentious issue at the regular Friday media briefing at his Punchi Borella residence in the wake of accusations that President Sirisena facilitated Wickrekesinghe\u2019s initiative.
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Lawmaker Sumathipala indicated that President Sirisena couldn\u2019t turn down the UNP leader\u2019s request.
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Responding to a query raised by a representative of the electronic media, MP Sumathipala said that President Sirisena and former President Rajapaksa were still committed to Oct 26, 2018 understanding that prompted the former to quit the UNP led government.
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When the journalist pointed out that both SLFP General Secretary Dayasiri Jayasekera and SLFP spokesman Weerakumara Dissanayake repeatedly warned of the possibility of President Sirisena seeking a second term in case talks with the SLPP failed to produce the desired results, MP Sumathipala insisted that their party would be committed to the victory of the SLPP candidate.
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The assurance was given as SLPP General Secretary Sagara Kariyawasam paid the deposit for SLPP candidate Gotabaya Rajapaksa at the Election Commission, Rajagiriya. Lawmaker Sumathipala recognized the SLPP as the main political power opposed to the UNP today.
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Responding to a spate of questions regarding the controversy over President Sirisena making unsubstantiated allegations in respect of the Nelum Pokuna Tower against the backdrop of stalled SLPP-SLFP talks, MP Sumathipala expressed confidence they could work together. Sumathipala said that they remained essentially committed to Oct 26, 2018 understanding and were confident of working together.
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Responding to another query regarding SLFP having a deal with SLPP presidential candidate Gotabaya Rajapaksa, even though the Oct 26, 2018 consensus was with Mahinda Rajapaksa, lawmaker Sumathipala described the former President as the SLPP\u2019s symbol. MP Sumathipala underscored the pivotal importance of Mahinda Rajapaksa in the process leading to an understanding between the two factions. The National List MP explained as to how the SLFP\u2019s vote bank though diminished at the last Local Government poll could ensure Gotabaya Rajapaksa\u2019s victory.
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Lawmaker Sumathipala insisted that those still loyal to Maithripala Sirisena wouldn\u2019t switch their allegiance to the UNP in the run up to the presidential election.
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The SLFPer said so when another journalist asked him whether they realized the grave possibility of those still loyal to President Sirisena joining either the UNP or the SLPP. The query was raised against the backdrop of two loyalists, National List MPs, S.B. Dissanayake and Dilan Perera switching allegiance to the SLPP recently.
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Lawmaker Sumathipala said that the SLFP didn\u2019t care who received nomination from the UNP-led group as the party was committed to the victory of the largest grouping opposed to the ruling coalition.
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S.B. Dissanayake, Dilan Perera and Thilanga Sumathipala were brought in to the parliament on the National List after the electorate rejected them at the last parliamentary election in 2015 August.
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At the onset of the briefing, lawmaker Sumathipala explained as to why the SLFP wouldn\u2019t support the abolition of the executive presidency under any circumstances. Referring to the sudden issuance of gazette notification regarding presidential poll on Nov 16, 2019, MP Sumathipala said that President Sirisena called a special cabinet meeting on Premier Wickremesinghe request. Therefore, Premier Wickremesinghe should take the responsibility for the consequences, the SLFP spokesman said.
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Responding to another query, MP Sumathipala said that there hadn\u2019t been discussions among them (SLFP members loyal to President Sirisena) regarding abolition of the executive presidency. The MP faulted the UNP leader for the controversial move in the wake of Election Commission setting the dates for payment of deposits, nominations and the election.
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The SLFPer pointed out that Wickremesinghe skipped the electorate at both 2010 and 2015 presidential polls and was again engaged in a despicable political project. Instead of pursuing a national agenda, the UNP leader sought personal gain.
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Lawmaker Sumathipala alleged that the abolition of the executive presidency could pose quite a threat to national security, democracy and stability. One-time Deputy Speaker Sumathipala pointed out that abolition of executive presidency could cause anarchy. SLFPer Sumathipala discussed the crisis experienced by the UK and Australia for want of stable governments. The UK had four Prime Ministers in four years whereas Australia six Premiers in five years.
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MP Sumathipala alleged that the proposed abolition of the executive presidency to pave the way for election of presidency by the parliament could pose a serious threat to democracy. There was always the possibility of MPs being bought over by interested parties in a bid to influence the political authority, lawmaker Sumathipala pointed out, underscoring the danger in the Premier whoever in gaining powers once enjoyed by the president.
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Abolition of the executive presidency could lead to division of the country on the ethnic lines, the MP warned. Lawmaker Sumathipala pointed out that the SLFP opposed the abolition of executive long before Zahran Hashim carried out the Easter Sunday attacks.
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By Shamindra Ferdinando Courtesy The Island After vehemently denying President Maithripala Sirisena had backed UNP leader and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe\u2019s last ditch attempt to abolish the executive presidency ahead of Nov. 16 presidential poll, the SLFP, yesterday, assured that it wouldn\u2019t undermine SLPP presidential candidate Gotabaya Rajapaksa. The assurance was given by UPFA lawmaker […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":true,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-93163","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-politics"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/93163","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=93163"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/93163\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=93163"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=93163"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=93163"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}