We Will Stand by the President as One Group Not Decided to Leave the Government – SB

The Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) members in the government will remain as one group without supporting any other group.

Minister S.B. Dissanayake  while  speaking to reporters after a meeting a held between the President, UPFA Ministers and MPs in the government at the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo yesterday (19) said, we  held extensive talks with the President regarding the recent election and  the result of the election. Followed by it , we in the SLFP and UPFA members decided to continue to stand by the president. No one will jump this way or the other way or join lists from here and there. However,we decided to make a massive change within the government. But we will remain with our decision to make those changes and do what is good and necessary for the country.

“Our colleagues in parliament have agreed to give the SLFP and the UPFA, the strength which is needed to legally carry out those changes,” Dissanayake said. 

Responding to a question by a journalist, he stated that appointing a Prime Minister from the UPFA is one of their alternatives and that it is still unchanged. 

“We have the strength for that, but that is our second alternative.” 

He also stated that they have a majority in the Parliament and that not just 113 MPs, they have “more than enough strength.” “There is no problem with regard to power.” 

He stressed that they will remain together with the President and as one group. “We will implement the decision taken and we have the necessary strength.” 

When asked whether the party is leaving the national government, he said that they are not leaving the government and that they will meet at the Cabinet meeting tomorrow and discuss.