President with the Joint Opposition?

It has been the tradition to host Ministers and Members of Parliament with a tea party in Parliamentary premises after Budget.

Although, a tea party was arranged, Joint Opposition members made it a point not to attend this tea party to register their protest against the 2017 Budget. As President Maithreepala Sirisena too did not attend this tea party, some of the Joint Opposition MPs heard telling that Maithree too is against the Budget and boycotted the tea party along with them.