Ensure a 2/3 majority for dissolution of Parliament – Rajitha

Steps should be taken to ensure that 2/3rds of the members in Parliament give their approval for a dissolution of Parliament and the immediate holding  of a General Election, so that a new Cabinet can be formed, as a new President has been elected by the public, Minister Rajitha Senaratne had stated at the United National Party (UNP) MPs’ meeting yesterday (18).

He had also suggested that ministers should stop stepping down from their posts and instead, should resign after taking a collective decision as to whether to continue with the Government or not.

It has also been suggested that the Government should continue until such time that the President can dissolve it and a General Election should not be held hastily.

Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka had pointed out that in 2001, a similar situation arose, and while Chandrika Kumaratunga was still in office, as the President, a UNP government was in power.

In response, Minister Senaratne had stated that such a situation arose in the initial stage of a Government, and since the present government is in its final stage, action must not be taken against the public’s verdict given on 16 November.

Although it had also been suggested that Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe must give the opportunity to a suitable person, by stepping down as Leader of the Party, the response was that attention must not be paid to this particular suggestion since the Premier is currently working to resolve the prevailing issues.

Wickremesinghe had also stated that this particular matter can be addressed later, after resolving the current issues that are being dealt with.

At the meeting, MP Vijith Vijithamuni Soysa had stated that Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) MPs, who joined the government for political reasons, without expecting any privileges, are still working unitedly in an effort to go forward.

Several participants at the meeting had strongly opposed a suggestion by Sujeewa Senasinghe that the Party members should go to the Opposition and Sajith Premadasa be made the Opposition Leader.

One of the MPs had stated that talking about rebuilding the Party, after losing the Kaduwela Seat by 65,000 votes, is a joke.

Opposing a statement made by MP Ajith P. Perera that the UNP lost the votes of the Catholic community, Minister Senaratne said that he won the Seat with the votes of the Catholic people.

MP Kavinda Jayawardena had stated that it is with the help of the Catholic people’s votes it was possible to minimise the vote gap in the areas, where the UNP lost, as well as the Negombo seat, where the UNP won.

(Source: Ceylon Today)