NCM against Govt. gathers steam though no clarity on which side commands majority support

• Gammanpila claims 120 MPs willing to support NCM
• Says PM should resign this week or face NCM next week
• NPP, CWC throws its weight behind NCM
• TNA, UNP yet to state official position
• Sajith says SJB will not join an interim Government

Former Minister Udaya Gammanpila said yesterday that the 39-member independent group of MPs would back the no-confidence motion that the main Opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) has initiated against the Government, and claimed there are 120 MPs who would support it.

Gammanpila told reporters at a press briefing yesterday that the NCM could be handed over to Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena next week if the Government led by Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa does not step down this week.

“We are giving the Prime Minister and the Government one week to step down or face the consequences,” he said.

Meanwhile, the CWC which has two seats put its weight behind the NCM yesterday adding to the growing number of ruling party MPs who are joining the opposition ranks.

“Ceylon Workers' Congress, after extensive discussions, has collectively taken a decision to vote against the present Government. The decision has been communicated to the party leaders of the ruling party, the Opposition and the independents,” MP Jeevan Thondaman said on Twitter.

Despite the claims of 120 MPs supporting a NCM, there are doubts if the Opposition can muster the 113 votes that are required to pass it as MPs loyal to the Prime Minister are engaged in collecting signatures to show he commands the confidence of the majority in the House.

The Tamil National Alliance with 10 MPs, the National People’s Party (NPP) led by the JVP with three seats, and lone UNP MP Ranil  Wickremesinghe are yet to officially state their position on the NCM. Their support is crucial if the motion is to be carried in the House.

The SJB began collecting signatures for the motion two weeks ago. Senior party sources told Daily FT that they are keen to get 113 signatures on the motion before handing it over to the Speaker, even though a NCM will be accepted even with two signatures.

While Opposition groups are trying to rally together to remove the Prime Minister, Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa said on Sunday that the SJB would play no role in an interim Government with the present set of rulers.

The National People’s Power (NPP) and Ceylon Workers’ Congress (CWC) yesterday announced that the two parties have decided to support the no-confidence motion which is being tabled against the Government by Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB).

“In principle we will support the motion against the Government, subject to the conditions underlined,” NPP Parliamentarian Dr. Harini Amarasuriya told the Daily FT.

Although the NPP have not yet seen the contents of the SJB no-confidence motion, she was strongly of the view that the President and Prime Minister must step down, heeding to the key demand of the ongoing people’s struggle.

MP Dr. Amarasuriya said through an interim Government, citizens should be allowed to elected leaders.

CWC General Secretary and former State Minister Jeevan Thondaman announced that the decision to support in favour of the no-confidence motion was taken collectively by the party hierarchy.

“Ceylon Workers' Congress, after extensive discussions, has collectively taken a decision to vote against the present Government. The decision has been communicated to the party leaders of the ruling party, the opposition and the independents,” he said via his official Twitter handle yesterday.