UPFA promises "unconditional" support for 100-day program

January 10, 2015, 8:15 pm 

by Shamindra Ferdinando

Having congratulated newly elected President Maithripala Sirisena, the defeated UPFA yesterday assured the sixth executive President of Sri Lanka of its unconditional support to implement his 100-day work program.

Maithripala’s project has been endorsed by the UNP and several other political parties and groups, including the JHU, SLMC, All Ceylon Makkal Congress (ACMC), four-party Tamil National Alliance (TNA), National United Front (NUF) as well as the JVP, though it didn’t formally join the Opposition alliance.

The assurance was given by Senior Vice President of the SLFP Nimal Siripala de Silva, MP, at the first post-presidential poll media briefing held at SLFP headquarters at T.B. Jayah Mawatha.

The implementation of the 100-day project will begin today (Jan. 11) with the appointment of 25 member cabinet comprising not more than 25 members representing political parties in President Sirisena’s coalition..

Responding to a query by The Sunday Island, Badulla District MP and former Irrigation and Water Resources Management Minister said that he was addressing the media as an MP. The MP said that with UNP National Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe taking oaths as the new Premier on Friday evening all of them ceased to be ministers. Now it would be the responsibility of the new Premier to name the new cabinet of ministers.

De Silva was flanked by UPFA General Secretary Susil Premjayantha, SLFP General Secretary Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, NFF leader Wimal Weerawansa, MEP leader Dinesh Gunawardena, MP Dallas Alahapperuma, MP A.H.M. Fowzie and Western Provincial Councillor Udaya Gammanpila.

De Silva said that UPFA presidential candidate Mahinda Rajapaksa had received over 5.7 million votes therefore the coalition would press ahead with its political program.

Commenting on the circumstances under which Wickremesinghe was sworn before President Maithripala Sirisena, MP de Silva insisted that the UPFA wouldn’t raise an issue over the constitutionality of the process. Instead, the UPFA would throw its weight behind President Maithripala Sirisena’s 100-day program. He said the Wickremesinghe government could depend on the UPFA’s support in parliament to implement the 100-day project. The MP said that the new government could close down casinos as repeatedly promised during the campaign.

However, the UPFA wouldn’t contribute to any project inimical to Sri Lanka’s unitary status, the Leader of the House who will lose that title when parliament meets on January 19.

He alleged that the new government had unleashed violence on UPFA/SLFP supporters. There had been a killing in the Mihintale police area and a spate of incidents, including attack on Kolonnawa Pradeshiya Sabha member.

Former Environment and Renewable Energy Minister Susil Premjayantha, MP, said that the UPFA accepted defeat. The UPFA General Secretary emphasized that the alliance wouldn’t compromise on unitary status of the country. He expressed confidence that the new government would continue national reconciliation process launched by former President. Admitting that the UPFA had suffered a setback, the Colombo District MP said that the alliance would take remedial action after having identified shortcomings.