UNP Working Committee decides to defeat NCM

Friday, 30 March 2018 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

By Skandha Gunasekara

The UNP Working Committee met yesterday at Sirikotha, where it was unanimously decided that all UNP MPs would work to defeat the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.

“Even those from the UNP who had supported the no-confidence motion have pledged to defeat it,” said Minister Akila Viraj Kariyawasam. It is speculated that the United People’s Front too agreed to the same at their meeting with the Premier at Temple Trees later on in the day.

The UNP Working Committee had also decided to extend the deadline for party reforms till 31 April.

Minister Dr. Harsha De Silva said that sweeping reforms in the party would take place soon after the no-confidence motion.

“There will momentous changes in the party. There will be changes in the office-bearers as well. All these changes will be made by 31 December,” Minister De Silva said.

The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna have said that they would reveal their stance on the no-confidence motion on 2 April.

Meanwhile, the Tamil National Alliance has asserted that they would back the Prime Minister and the UNP in defeating the no-confidence motion.

However, the SLFP seem divided on the matter.

Senior SLFP Minister S.B. Dissanayake, addressing media briefing on Tuesday (27), said that the SLFP could find no reason to oppose the no-confidence motion.

SLFP MP Duminda Dissanayake on the other hand, speaking at a separate occasion, had said that he would support the Premier in defeating the motion.

The no-confidence motion will be taken up for debate, followed by a vote, on 4 April.