SLFP MP Nimal Siripala de Silva says he doesn’t believe that his continuing to remain the Opposition leader is unethical and added he will be the Opposition Leader until the SLFP decides otherwise.
Siripala
Speaking at a media briefing today, Opposition Leader Nimal Siripala said he will remain in the position as the SLFP’s stature as the main opposition party has not been compromised despite a group of its MPs accepting ministerial posts and the party forming a national government with the UNP.
“The President has given us freedom to criticize any of the government policies and even our own SLFP MPs who have assumed duties as Ministers, if the necessity arises. Therefore, I don’t believe there is anything unethical about me being the Opposition leader,” he said.
He compared the present situation in parliament to when Minister Karu Jayasuriya who was then in the Opposition, along with a group of 17 UNP MPs extended their support to the UPFA government and assumed duties as Ministers.
“Did anyone question the position of the UNP as the main opposition party at that point? The present situation is very much the same,” he said.
Park / March 23, 2015
There is a reason for the senior members of SLFP not getting ministerial posts. They all have stolen money from the people when they were ministers in the last government.
But at the same time its sad to note that Yahapalanaya President Sirisena has appointed Foul Mouth Apvithra Wanniarachchi and S.B.Dissanayake who wanted to remove the saree of Ex President Chandrika to the cabinet. This is a shameful act by President Sirisena.
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backlash / March 23, 2015
There is no such thing as principled politics here. SB and Pavitra being accommodated is part of the calumny of what goes as the realities of Lankan politics where sleeping with strange bedfellows is nothing but the ordinary. The difference it happens far too often here. It will take sometime for the people to learn that they ought to be saved from the venal clutches of our politikkas – but that’s many years hence. The current hotchpotch that goes as the National Govt is actually a Provincial set-up where the Sirisena-Ranil-Mangala-CBK regime have key men and women in the different and sensitive parts of the country to ensure their governance does not collapse.
One feels sorry for Ranil. He means well by the country and probably wants to end his career as the greatest Statesman the country has seen. Why not? He’s got everything in him that qualifies him for this. By his words, language, deeds and swagger he is miles ahead of anyone in his party or parliament as a respected and senior leader. That is if you are ready to forget his aberrations of Gonawala Sunil, July 83 and the like. I will not blame him for Batalanda because there he was responding to a greater evil that extreme violent Sinhala politics inflicted in the entire country.
Backlash
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Malawi / March 24, 2015
Highly appreciate maturity you kept while write comment. Well done!
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sama / March 24, 2015
This man Nimal Siripala De Silva NSDS has become the all time loser. Had he joined MY3, he would have been one of the good sorta SLFP politicians of theday. Not to have done the right thing at right time, has almost caused him to fall deeper.
Onehand he should be given chance as an senior SLFPer. But I believe in todays SLFP – not many of these men can do more towards the improvement of the country/nation.
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NAK / March 23, 2015
“He compared the present situation in parliament to when Minister Karu Jayasuriya who was then in the Opposition, along with a group of 17 UNP MPs extended their support to the UPFA government and assumed duties as Ministers”
So,you mean to say we are still fighting Prabhakaran?
That is a forked tongueor tongue in cheek explenation and you know it.
Nothing you people did in the past,especially the last couple of months
can be considered unethical according to your ethics which essentially are not ours.
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Jagath Fernando / March 23, 2015
All politicians are shameless.
Ranil is no different to MARA or Nimal Siripala.
MARA appointed BIL who was a planter to become Sri Lankan Airlines chairman. Ranil appointed Ravi K s BIL who is a policeman to become MD of Sri Lanaka Insurance.
Nivard had a say in the hedging issue and Mahendran is responsible for the bond issue.
No difference.!!!
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Alahakoon / March 24, 2015
Businessman/politician Ravi K’s BIL is just a policemen .. Unbelievable.. And rich and famous Ravi is very close with this poor policeman BIL. Very unAsian… We do not even invite our poor relatives/ in laws to family weddings!!!! Asian culture..
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Modi Not Modhi / March 23, 2015
It is lile washing your shity ass with two hands. Up Side Down Sri Lanka. The uprising of Tamil Eelam ahead! SL is now politically swallowen by the Western, India and T.Diaspora.
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Snowden Edward Asange / March 23, 2015
Power corrupts. Absolute power brings down dictators… sooner than later, case in point Gaddafi, Saddam, MR… to nae a few…
Pretty soon there wont be an opposition that may pave the way for AKD or the TNA to be the leader of the opposition… Nimal Siri might be an ALSO RAN…. unless he too gives up and joins teh band wagon… BY this MR is shut down and may be able to contest only on the tickets of WW, Dinesh or Vasu, may be of Gommanpila. He is a spent force and needs to enjoy his retirement…
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dcn / March 23, 2015
There is nothing wrong in Mr.Sirirpala de Silva continuing as the Leader of Opposition.
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Rumad / March 23, 2015
Used for decades for all the opulence, lollies and the perks in the various Ministries he headed in the role of square peg in a round hole, he might not agree. Nothing like that cool and comfortable chair of a senior Minister nursing higher ambitions.
Rumad
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Paddy / March 23, 2015
Ohoma yange!!!
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Dinesh / March 23, 2015
Funny NS opposition leader and his party members are government ministers? How on earth he is going to question them? Speaker needs to make a ruling!
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Jagath Fernando / March 23, 2015
No different to when Karu crossed over with 17 MPs and accepted portfolios.
Ranil remained as Opp Leader and now Nimal is doing the same.
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EDWIN RODRIGO / March 24, 2015
backlash, I sometimes feel that Ranil is not suitable to be the PM of Sri LAnka. He is more suitable as a PM of a Western country, perhaps not any of the present, but of the yesteryear. He is too good for that.
When he was in charge of the Water Board long ago, where I worked, he never sent any people with letters, to be given employment. He never interfered with the award of tenders. Under him the Water Board became a profit making organization rather than a profit making organization for the MR Mafia.
He was and I hope still is a clean politician of a rare kind. We are very fortunate to have him as our PM the same as we are fortunate to have MS as our president.
It is a good team to have and I trust them to do some good to this country.
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srilal / March 24, 2015
As opposed to MY3 and Ranil , here is an absolute jem which posses all the qualities & credentials to be the next leader of our country , of course that is none other than our very own honest ,decent, highly educated Wimal weerawansa , see it yourself how he performs …..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJi6w2X-htg
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Douglas / March 24, 2015
Hon. Leader Of The Opposition: You are very correct. When Mr. Karu Jayasuriya undertook that “Pilgrimage” and left some of the members of that “Group”; “NADE” behind within the UPFA camp, the then President Mr. MR formed a very strong “CONGLOMERATE” and started the very lucrative “BUSINESS VENTURE” of Governance. Now we see the same being REPEATED in a more modern way of a “YAHAPALANAYA”. You are very “ceremoniously” left in the UPFA camp to be its leader named “Leader Of The Opposition”. No one can question that. You are correct there too. I do not know what Rev. Maduluwawe Sibitha Thero, who brought this “CHANGE” has to say.
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Dinesh / March 24, 2015
Agree if all the MPs who left the UPFA must go and join the UNP or its alliance. They cannot remain in the SLFP and the UPFA alliance. Ranil took action to sack Karu and his crew. RW even tried to take their MP portfolios off….Will Nimal or MS do that? Have they even sent a letter asking for explanation? Ranil and MR never agreed to form a coalition government. They left Ranil’s leadership and supported the government. Here they want to have the cake and eat the cake…complete mockery of the system.
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Bandu de silva / March 24, 2015
From Bandu de Silva
Nimal Siripala has said he would continue to be the leader of the opposition despite 23 members from SLFP joining govt ranks and with prospects of more crossing. Why is he hanging on except with the ambition of realising [distant] prospects of his becoming the Prime Ministerial candidate? That was a position that eluded him under MR’s dispensation because of the latter’s divide an rule strategy of ensuring loyalty. NS was one of the confidants of Chandrika in the MR government. It was to him that the kicked-aside Chandrika phoned from London to ask “Miniha (MR) denatama anagana neda?”
But he distanced away from her hoping MR might recognise his seniority in the party but which became elusive. At Dr Seevali Ratwatte’s funeral Nimal preferred to remain talking to me throughout rather than going over to be seen together with Chandrika even after I crossed the palour to talk to Chandrika, esp to ask if she harboured any anger against me for writing profusely against her in my newspaper columns.
After the UVA Provincial Council election where Badulla district under him fared badly his stock went down further in the eyes of MR. He came back to MR with his price-catch Tissa Attanayake in the net. But nothing dissuaded MR from having the old senile crony Deemoo with tainted reputation over Kodoo scandal continuing as PM.
Is NS now trying to show his importance if not taking his revenge by blocking MR’s Prime Ministerial aspirations?
He is but holding on to a withering straw. He could have easily jumped for a Ministerial Post – and an important one at that but he did not. Will he then remain the nigger in the woodpile blocking the return of MR, who could be the most likely rallying point against the present Maithree-Ranil govt? As I see this is why the MEP , the JVP and others have joined to make Dinesh the leader of the opposition.
What say you?
Bandu
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vishvajith / March 25, 2015
How about the opposition leader position be shared between the TNA and JVP. These two lot’s stand out, untainted by the wheeling n dealing.
We can try a revolving opposition leader position, six months the TNA and six months the JVP, back to TNA etc.
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Adrian / March 25, 2015
Certainly TNA will make a constructive opposition than any other parties. JVP too must join TNA to form a strong opposition. NSDS does not display command, but just make unnecessary noise most of the time.
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D.Nimal / March 25, 2015
Nimal Siripala Silva’s is concern that his version of ‘Democracy’ there is ‘ nothing unethical’, majority become ‘Leader of Opposition’ and Minority leader become’ Primer- Minister’ of SL Govt. SLFP IS RIGHT AND DEMOCRACY IS WRONG.
This bunch of political clowns including like Sirirpal Silva from born in Balapitiya-SLFP is thinking that all Sri lankan are foolish and Mad. He think that all Sri Lankan voters are fully ignorant and is possible misled people by any movement that during election and after the election in Government or in Opposition.
We Sri Lankan are faded up and dissatisfaction with rapid inroads of biased coverage of Sri Lankan affaires by the once-dominant Western, Indian and local- Tamil base -Singhopern mass media.
After installed of 2015 January ,which MS puppet regime back by Indian BJP-RSS media to manipulated of facts ,evidences and opinion by and large that CBK, Join UNP Ranil W…government vividly shown during election 2015 January and after that.
Local( Times Group, Island and Lake house) and Foreign Reports (BBC, CNN, Reuters and Al Jazeera) and columnist failed to challenge that undermined ‘Parliamentary democracy norms’ and ‘Independent’ role of Judiciary and of ‘rule of Law’, undermined by MS puppets regime of BJP-RSS the inflated threat assessment by media.
MS and UNP -Ranil. W… CBK government of so-called ‘good governances’ based on demonstrably inadequate, incomplete and manipulated evidence, self-serving cherry -picked intelligence, and flawed analysis. I would say mainstream media outlets of the MS govt. of past allegation against ruling of MR alliances is professionally criminals.
The part of SLFP is Ministers join that Ruling Party -Cabinet and other portion remain as in Leader of Opposition that also interpreted by ‘new culture of politics’ by leader of opposition.
As this similar situation was in England that Rural ‘oriented democracy’ apply by Oliver Cromwell ruled IN AND OUT England 1642 to 1660 as ‘Protector’ of English democracy.
While similar situation was arise English democracy it was set ‘limitation of Parliament sovereignty’ in 1648 Cromwell under that army commander had been present to House of Commons.
Cromwell said 1648 ” agreement of the people”. Present unelected regime change of MS, CBK and UNP -Ranil W..said this is mandate of “Presendintal election result” of Democracy of Good governance.
THE CHANGE GOVEEMENT of MR Ruling alliances was result political conspiracy accepts led by USA and UK and Indian, which is surrender principle of sovereignty and norms of democracies, that nexuses of Regime change by Presidential election 2015 January 9th.
Indeed this change of MS Regime of Govt. welcome by US, UK and Indian BJP-RSS Hindu out-fit.
West and Indian are highly appreciated the Gramasevka or Village Headmen turn into democracy of President of Sri Lanka which is that encourage by US . In result of that values of US’s oriented democracy has rapidly declined, hence Republic book of Democracies….unseen. Major part of democracy norms and values has been disappear under MS regime may be for ever!
MS was back by separatist of TNA, Muslim Congress of anti-establishments, while UNP is political outlet which is rooted hierarchical colonial and neo-liberal system that affiliated to US led hegemony politics and Indian proxies outlet; in result of that our nation become the under-developed and unsustainable of unconventional political-economy-social order after 2015 January.
MS regime, UNP and CBK’s political nepotism without compromised new social forces, there will be NO FAIRNESS.
What is FAIRNESS MEAN,THERE IS BLANCEING THE POWER OF EMERGING ALL NATIONAL AND SOCIAL CLASSES.IT IS NOT BORN A NATURE,BUT IS RESULT OF POLITICAL CONTENTION OF ALL SIDES.
SRI LANKA POLITICAL CONTENTION SHOULD EVENTULLY REACH A BALANCE THROUGH MEANS SUCH AS CONSULTION,NEGOTIATION AND BARGARINING.
THIS PROCESS LEADS TO COMPROMISE WHICH IS THE PATH OF DEMOCRACY.
The compromised is also an indication of maturity of democracy.
Unfortunaly MS led regime, that lack of political elitism and UNP led orthodox democracy of policies and CBK led family Banadaism of nepotism in feudal features of political supremacy, which has lost values of refined & reform of SUSTANABILTY of capitalist democracy has been accepted by West, that New Born Political classes.
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