Recognition of Wimal’s Party Members as a Separate Entity in Parliament : Speaker’s Decision Today

Joint Opposition MP cum Jathika Nidahas Peramuna (JNP) Leader ,  Wimal Weerawansa  has  recently  made a written request   to  the Speaker Karu Jayasuriya to recognize them as a separate  entity in Parliament. Decision was deferred by the  Speaker Karu Jayasuriya pending  discussion with the party leaders.

 In response to a  query  made by Wimal Weerawansa  , Speaker said yesterday that  he would inform the decision regarding the request made by Joint Opposition MP Wimal Weerawansa of the Jathika Nidahas Peramuna (JNP) to function independently in parliament today.

He said thus: I will discuss the matter with party leaders today and inform parliament tomorrow. The speaker said he would request the opinion of the UPFA to arrive at a decision.

Referring to the matter, Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said the letter sent by MP Weerawansa to remove from UPFA was not clear. He said  Weerawansa had mentioned in the letter that his group wanted to be removed from the UPFA but such a group had not contested from the UPFA and requested them to inform him individually whether they wanted to do so. “The JNP is not a party in the UPFA. We do not have an agreement with them. If they really want to leave the UPFA, inform individually. Then I will reply immediately. We do not want to keep them by force, he concluded.