The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) today justified the appointment of Tamil National Alliance (TNA) leader R. Sampanthan to the post of the opposition leader in parliament.
The JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake told the media that Sampanthan was the most suitable candidate to hold the post as the TNA was the party with the largest number of seats in the opposition.
Dissanayake said that the UPFA which had 96 seats in parliament, only second to that of UNP (106) through it’s General Secretary Wisva Warnapala had informed the speaker that the party will join with the UNP to form a coalition government.
Warnapala had said that thus the UPFA will not contest for the opposition leaders post.
In this backdrop Dissanayke said that the speaker Karu Jayasuriya had no option but to designate Sampanthan as the leader of the opposition.
Dissanayake said that if the TNA had been denied the opportunity the international community could have taken up arms against the country once again claiming it as an act of oppression.
Meanwhile criticizing sections within the UPFA who were opposing TNA being given the opposition leaders post Dissanayake said that if such MP’s were truly patriotic as they claim to be, they could convince all the party members to sit in the opposition which in turn will result UPFA receiving the opposition leades position.
R. Sampanthan, the TNA leader was appointed as the Opposition Leader of the 08th parliament of Sri Lanka on Thursday. The Speaker Karu Jayasuriya named Sampanthan as the leader of the Opposition while noting that the UPFA had not made any official requests with regard to the post of opposition leader. Earlier the UPFA too was vying for the opposition leader position.
J.muthu / September 5, 2015
I am watching you damn [Edited out]….last chance…? take it or lave it….choice is yours…
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EDWIN RODRIGO / September 5, 2015
Sambanthan is the best choice for the position. He symbolizes the way Tamils oppose everything that the Sinhalese do.
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Estate Labourer / September 5, 2015
There are many who think that Kumara Welgama would be a better choice as Leader of the Opposition than Senior Parliamentarian R. Sampanthan.
There are a few videos of Welgama on YouTube. Those who watch even one of these will know which of them is a more suitable person to occupy this prestigious position.
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Thiru / September 5, 2015
Sri Lankan society has been made idiotic by all the ruling and opposing politicians since independence:
After 67 years the politicians are still arguing about who should be opposition leader, how many ministers we should have and all the irrelevant issues, rather than asking how the society can progress like the advanced civilized world; with plenty to eat, good medical service, good shelter for all, good education and other things the enlightened world enjoys.
Will the Sri Lankan society ever wake up from this stupor?
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Sellam / September 5, 2015
Mr.Sambanthan of the TNA has to be elected through convention and democratic rights. The UPFA has no right to claim for opposition leadership as they cannot sit on either side (government side and opposition side) of the parliament. The irony is that how Mr.Sambanthan is going to fulfil his manifesto given to the Tamil people during the elections. They wanted 20 seats and the people had given him 16 seats. The TNA is happy that its leader Mr.Sambanthan is the leader of the Opposition and seems to be a prestige for them and nothing else. But for the Tamil people it nothing except they want their freedom.
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ramona therese fernando / September 6, 2015
WW should have been oppositional leader. His party JNP can move away from UPFA (the way all Lankan parties keep slipping in and out of each other). His party votes can reflect his preferrential votes. But Sambanthan is fine, as long as his assertions on Seperatism/Federalism was a crow of Tamil pride, and now he is ready to take on the tasks of looking after all ethnicities.
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Jaya / September 6, 2015
In a democracy Leader of the opposition is the alternative prime minister, In Srilanka that will never happen because he is the leader of a communal party. I like to suggest to him to disband the Tamil national alliance and join one of the National parties UNP,SLFP or JVP.
Similarly disband the Ceylon Muslim congress, Srilanka Makkal congress
and join the National parties to work for all Srilankans.One day we will be able to have a Tamil or Muslim as a Srilankan prime minister
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Spring Koha / September 7, 2015
Poor Sampanthan has been handed a chalice of poison and, mark my words, it won’t be long before he becomes the fall guy for the ball-scratchers who are now sitting on the opposition benches, and the whipping boy for when the cuckoos in government get up to their old tricks.
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