Marikkar dismisses SJB member cross-over rumours 

SJB MP S.M. Marikkar

SJB MP Dr. Rajitha Senaratne

Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) Deputy National Organiser S.M Marikkar denied rumours that a group of MPs from the main opposition party will soon cross over to the Government. The MP said these rumours are untrue and only exist on social media platforms and media outlets with links to President Ranil Wickramasinghe. “The people and party members are not discussing this rumour as even a possibility,” he said. The MP labelled the news stories as plants. “When these media outlets of UNPers carry these stories other journalists also get excited and question us,” he said. The MP made these comments during a press conference held in Colombo yesterday. 

The rumours of a possible cross over however stemmed from comments made by SJB member MP Dr.Rajitha Senaratne during a press conference in Kalutara on Sunday. When questioned by media personnel if he would be willing to join the Government, Senaratne responded that no such decision has been made while saying that the United National Party (UNP) and the SJB policies are similar. “So it will depend on political decisions,” he said. He also said certain SJB members had attempted to make him announce that he would not cross over and said he was not prepared to make statements on the insistence of others. “I have my own political ideology and will make decisions based on it,” he said.