• SJB Leader Sajith Premadasa claims Speaker said President willing to resign if party leaders request him to do so
• Speaker Mahinda Yapa says his words misinterpreted

Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena and Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa clashed in Parliament yesterday over claims that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa had agreed to step down if all party leaders in Parliament asked him to do so.

The argument followed a claim by Premadasa that the Speaker had informed party leaders at a meeting held yesterday that the President had agreed to resign if all party leaders in Parliament made such a request.

This however was denied by the Speaker who said Premadasa had misinterpreted what he said.

“You have given a wrong interpretation to what I said. What I said is if you obtain the signature of 113 MPs and go to him, the President is willing to give the Government to you. That’s valid even  today. Please obtain the support of 113 MPs and go to him. You have to understand that even  all 225 MPs can›t ask the President to resign,” the Speaker said.

Premadasa however said that he had stated exactly what the Speaker had told the party leaders at the meeting and pointed to Dinesh Gunawardena as a witness. 

“You are uttering a blatant lie.  I don’t need to lie. I am telling you exactly what you said. You said that if the party leaders in Parliament  make a request, he is willing to resign,” Premadasa said.

He accused the Speaker of being a liar (tom pachaya). The Speaker insisted that what he said has been misinterpreted. 

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