The Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) rebel group supporting former President Mahinda Rajapaksa has decided to accept the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) leader R. Sampanthan as the opposition leader in parliament.
A SLFP MP from the rebel group said that accepting Sampanthan as the opposition leader will only be a temporary measure and their struggle to appoint one of their own nominees for the post will continue as soon as the group entrench themselves in the “House” as the largest opposition team.
A group of 36 SLFP MP’s and another 10 members belonging to constituent parties representing the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) are planning to sit in the opposition from tomorrow onwards.
The SLFP MP said that the the rebel group will negotiate with both the TNA and the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) which put together has 22 seats to create a stronger opposition in parliament.
However according to political sources, it is unlikely that either the JVP or TNA will support the rebel group as both parties have been highly critical of some members of this group in the past.
The rebel faction is to be led by Kalutara district SLFP MP Kumara Welgama. However, it is clear that the one who will be calling the shots is Rajapaksa.
The SLFP rebel group recently met party leader President Maithripala Sirisena to brief the latter on their decision.
However, Sirisena had not taken too kindly to the suggestions made by the group.
In an obvious snub Sirisena had told the group that he will refer their names to the newly appointed General Secretary of the SLFP, Duminda Dissanayake, without elaborating further on the matter.
The SLFP sources said that it was unlikely that Sirisena will initiate immediate disciplinary action against the rebels but he would definitely do so in time to come.
Walt / September 21, 2015
So the Lankan elections was another game of musical chairs to hoodwink the western world and live off their AID plus to evade prosecution and sentencing for crimes against humanity.
Disgraceful uncivilized; even High Commissioner who at the drop of a hat boast of 2500 years of culture where man eat man.
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Amarasiri / September 21, 2015
Walt
“Disgraceful uncivilized; even High Commissioner who at the drop of a hat boast of 2500 years of culture where man eat man.”
Para Sinhala snubls from UPFA Accepting Para-TNA as the leader of the Opposition of the Paras in the Land of Native Veddah Aethho.
After all they All are paras from South India, The DNA in their bodies is Proof.
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Dr.Rajasingham Narendran / September 21, 2015
Temporary acceptance! These words say much.
Dr.RN
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Lanka Watch / September 21, 2015
Dr. R.N. – This means that the law does not permit the rebels to
have another opposition leader but reluctantly call it a temporary acceptance to satisfy their followers. It could even be temporary
as they could create so much of problems for him to give up and this
could be at the back of their mind.
On the other hand, its a ploy by the govt. to have him the op. leader so that he remains neutral on the Tamil issues, at a time Tamil people
expect TNA to solve the problem this time, once and for all, with the
support of the international community and the moderate govt. of SL.
Many Tamils feel that he should not have accepted the position as tough talks on devolution are on the card and he should be involved
in party politics seriously.
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Ram / September 21, 2015
All that means is that Sampanthan will continue to enjoy the perks and the privileges of that position. At least the man deserves some comfort in his old age.
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Sigma / September 21, 2015
You will remember an incident in our parliament, of a committee on which Sambanthan was a member, which called the then Chief Justice of our country in for an inquiry. She was teased and rude things were said to her. She was not given a chair to sit until Sambandan offered her his chair! So he did have a small role in showing slightly higher standards than the behavior of the barbarians you seem to worship as heroes.
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Ram / September 22, 2015
The barbarians as far as I know mostly died on the Nandikadal. I have no respect for them at all. If Sampanthan did as you claim, then he deserves some respect.
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Native Vedda / September 22, 2015
Ramuuuuuuuuuuu
“The barbarians as far as I know mostly died on the Nandikadal.”
The rest of them are living in the deep south, who love carrying MR’s b***s, 96 are in the parliament.
” I have no respect for them at all”
However you seem to love your own barbarians who live between Kelani Ganga and Kirindi Oya.
“If Sampanthan did as you claim, then he deserves some respect. “
Racists cannot see goodness in others. You are no different.
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aratai / September 22, 2015
1977……when UNP’ers try to strip Mrs.B, it was then Opp Leader Amir who saved her.
:-)
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MOHAMED MARZOOK / September 24, 2015
Sampanthan is a one of the rare type of politicians in Sri Lanka. He has never thought of perks and privileges through politics.
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Punitham / September 22, 2015
[Edited out]
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rohan polwatte / September 21, 2015
Sri Lanka plans coal power plants in south
Sri LAnkans are dumb morons to set up coal power plants. This century coal power is not a solution. Look at china becuase of the pollution. Its better have no power than have coal power you dumb fkng morons.
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Plato. / September 21, 2015
Lanka Watch.
In fact I was wary of the TNA accepting the Opposition Leader slot for several reasons. Dr.Colvin R.De.Silva,had this to say in 1977,when the TULF had more seats in the Opposition and Amirthalingam became Leader of the Opposition.
The Sinhala Tamil issue will occupy the centre of the political stage said Dr.Colvin.The bitter debates in Parliament then and racist remarks from both sides of the divide contributed in no small measure to the Race riots of 1983.
R.Sampanthan was in Parliament in 1977.Perhaps,his decision to accept the post in 2015?
I dont know; I am still wary!
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Sellam / September 21, 2015
Mr.Sambanthan serving as the Opposition leader, is nothing for the Tamils. Whether he is there in parliament as opposition leader or not is immaterial for Tamils as he is not going to do anything extra beneficial to the Tamils except for his own prestige.
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Mohanasundaram / September 22, 2015
We need a strong opposition in the parliament for democracy to be vibrant. I doubt TNA will be able to provide this. In my opinion Sampanthan should not have accepted the post. This will only help the government to tell the world that we have a Tamil opposition leader and a Tamil chief Justice and Democracy is in full swing1
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Leelawathie / September 22, 2015
So do you think that UPFA could do the job.. filled with all abusive men ?
Why cant TNA permamnently backed by JVPers… to do the job ? No doubt they can
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Sengodan. M / September 22, 2015
A diminishing group of 36 that cannot easily resist the attraction of positions such as deputy ministers or state ministers dangled before them is making this statement! If only S & R can find another 36 slots in the cabinet of sorts, the diminishing group will become a vanishing group!
That is the level of politics in Sri Lanka today!
Sengodan. M
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thondamanny / September 22, 2015
Before everything else, invite all loosers and appoint them to parliament.
This is the worst decision Mod. Sira could have accomodated.
Voters kick them out. Mod. Sira appoints.
Why did we ever have a Parliamentary elections?
To kick the voter in their teeth ?
Looks like Mod. Sira is a curse.
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Ravi / September 22, 2015
Gota said, “Don’t question me on corruption charges because I finished the war.” The Sirisena-Ranil government did not listen to him, now Gota says he regrets finishing the war. The government should understand that he is the real Patriot that Sri Lanka has ever produced even though he ran away to US for some time when the war was going on.
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