SLPP warns SLFP ahead of Friday’s crucial parliamentary vote on Budget

SLPP chairman Prof. G. L. Peiris and MP Rohitha Abeygunawardene at the media briefing - Pic by Ruwan Walpola 

• SLPP Chairman says SLFP MPs must vote against Budget in final vote
• Criticises SLFPs decision to abstain during second reading vote on 12 March 
• Talks to form alliance against UNP would be difficult till SLFP practically shows its intentions are genuine
• Says SLPP will not veer from its commitment to defeating UNP under any circumstances

By Nuwan Senarathna

The Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) yesterday warned the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) that if its MPs do not vote against the Budget on Friday, finding common ground to form a broad political alliance against United National Party (UNP) would be difficult.

“We want to continue talks with the SLFP to form an alliance against UNP but we cannot clap with one hand. Therefore, the SLFP also has a role to play in this. We believe SLFP can correct themselves on 5 April,” SLPP Chairman Prof. G.L Peiris told reporters at party head office in Battaramulla.

Talks between the SLPP, the de facto head of which is Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapaksa and the SLFP headed by President Maithripala Sirisena hit a rocky patch after SLFP MPs in Parliament abstained from voting during the second reading vote on the Appropriation Bill taken on 12 March. The third reading vote is slated for Friday evening.

The SLPP Chairman criticised the SLFP for its decision to abstain from voting during the second reading vote and said the move had dented the trust among supporters and members of the SLPP and raised questions about how genuine the SLFP is in its intentions to form an alliance against UNP.

“The SLFP has another chance to prove that they would stand against the UNP policies and win the trust of the anti-UNP camp. 5 April is the only day SLFP can correct themselves and be a part of the anti-UNP movement,” Prof. Peiris said. He added that the SLPP would not veer from its commitment to defeating UNP under any circumstances and that both the SLPP and the SLFP have to be practical and work towards their common goal of defeating the UNP.

“If the intention of these talks is to form an alliance against UNP, they have to practically show us that they will work together to defeat the Budget. It does not matter what they say or how they criticise the UNP if they don’t vote against the Budget on Friday,” he added.

The SLPP Chairman note that one of the main objectives of the talks between SLFP and SLPP is to find common ground against the economic policies of the UNP and hence voting against the Budget was an essential element to continue the talks.

The third round of talks between SLFP and SLPP is scheduled to be held on 10 April at Opposition Leader’s office in Colombo.