SLFP dissidents boycott talks with Prez over defection as PM rules out resignation

Udaya says treachery caused irreparable damage

By Shamindra Ferdinando

Ongoing efforts to reach a consensus among those political parties that contested the last parliamentary election on the SLPP ticket have suffered a double setback over the SLFP-led demand for Premier Mahinda Rajapaksa’s resignation and a rebel MP accepting a state ministry. Former President Maithripala Sirisena, in his capacity as the leader of the SLFP, has asked President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to constitute an interim Cabinet leaving all other Rajapaksas out.

The SLFP has received the backing of the 11-party dissident group to push for an interim Cabinet, sans the Rajapaksas, sources say. The President received 41 lawmakers of the dissident group at the President’s House on Sunday (10). However, Premier Mahinda Rajapaksa on the following day responded to the SLFP’s request made on the previous day in talks with President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, in his address to the nation.

Without referring to the demand for his removal made by a section of those elected on the SLPP ticket, Premier Rajapaksa declared he was confident of resolving the crisis though it couldn’t be possible within the next few days.

The SLFP parliamentary group has resolved to accept the formation of an interim cabinet under President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who holds the defence portfolio. The SLFP, in line with the 11-party dissident group’s strategy, has also asked for the restoration of the 19th Amendment at the expense of the 20th.

However, swearing in of Kurunegala District MP Shantha Bandara, one of the 14 SLFPers in Parliament as State Minister of Promoting the Production & Regulating the Supply of Organic Fertilizer, and Paddy and Grains, Organic Foods, Vegetables, Fruits, Chilies, Onion and Potato Cultivation Promotion, Seed Production and Advanced Technology Agriculture, on Monday late afternoon has undermined the talks between the SLFP and the President, SLFP sources told The Island. The SLFP has also removed Shantha Bandara from the positions he held in the party.

Pivithuru Hela Urumaya (PHU) leader Udaya Gammanpila yesterday told The Island that the grouping decided to call off the second meeting with the President scheduled for 7 pm Tuesday (12) following the swearing in of Shantha Bandara in place of Shasheendra Rajapaksa. “We never expected the President to engineer a defection at a time we are engaged in discussions. In fact, we discussed a way out of the crisis and with the greatest difficulty managed to secure the support of all political parties, represented in Parliament except the JVP, to explore the possibility of an interim administration. We had no option but to pull out of talks. We are really disappointed in the President’s action,” the former Energy Minister said.

Lawmaker Gammanpila said that the dissident group engaged in talks with other political parties on behalf of the President and was largely successful in reaching a consensus before swearing in of Shantha Bandara derailed negotiations.

Former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank Dr. W.A. Wijewardena on Monday declared that political stability and a government with at least a simple majority was nothing but a prerequisite for talks with the IMF scheduled to begin in Washington on Monday (18).

Responding to another query, MP Gammanpila said that though names of three lawmakers had been mentioned as possible defectors, finally only Shantha Bandara received the State ministerial position. Blaming Highways Minister Johnston Fernando, who is also the Chief Government Whip for the unexpected defection, lawmaker Gammanpila said that current uncertainty couldn’t be addressed by such treachery.

MP Gammanpila said that the defection couldn’t have taken place at a worst time as the Opposition, too, took a courageous stand to avert further deterioration. But, utterly foolish political move on the part of the government ruined everything, the former minister said. Meanwhile, the SLPP leadership has adopted a wait and see policy in the wake of its founder being deprived of the finance portfolio. Authoritative sources said that the SLPP was watching the situation in the wake of a section of those elected on its ticket and appointed through its National List deciding to operate as a separate group. The dissidents included about a dozen SLPP members, including Susil Premjayanth, who was sacked from the state ministry he held last year following his criticism of the SLPP policies.