Five names proposed for the opposition leader post

Sep 01, 2015

President Maithripala Sirisena during a meeting held with the UPFA party leaders said that he has given the decision to choose the opposition leader post to the opposition party MP’s.

President Maithripala has come to such a decision when the UPFA member parties showed their objection following the decision of the SLFP central executive committee which decided to entrust the SLFP leader to choose the opposition leader post.    

 

The JVP and the NFF said that the leader of the SLFP who is a partner of the new national government choosing the opposition party leader post is a distortion to the democracy.

 

Following the decision of the President who is the most recommendable person to be the opposition leader post?

 

It appears that the former speaker Chamal Rajapaksa is in the frontline of the contestants. The opinion of the chief editor of the Lanka News Web Chandima withanarachchi said that in order to subsidize the cold war between the SLFP leader President Maithripala and the Kurunegala district parliament MP Mahinda Rajapaksa the opposition leader post should be given to the former president’s brother. 

 

However he told the BBC Sandeshaya that he approves the allegation of distorting the democracy for giving the opposition leader post to the SLFP who is a partner of the current national government. 

 

“Honeslty the people have given a mandate for the SLFP to be in the opposition not to build a national government” said Chandima Withanarachchi. 

 

If so who is the most suitable person for the post?

 

The Tamil National Alliance said that since they won 16 seats they should be given the opposition leader post and the Tricomalee district parliament MP Rajavarodayam Sampanthan who is the current leader would be the opposition leader.

 

However it appears that both the SLFP faction is not willing to give the opposition leader post to the Tamil National Alliance. Meantime there is an internal conflict within the TNA about its national list positions. However with the help of the JVP the TNA can function as strong opposition.

 

Mahinda Rajapaksa stressed that the Kalutara district parliament MP Kumara Welgama is suitable for the opposition leader post but there is a question will the pro Maithri faction who sit in the opposition would agree for such a decision.

 

However if both Chamal Rajapaksa’s name and Kumara Welgama’s name is rejected the leader of Mahajana Eksath Peramuna Dinesh Gunawardana’s name would be proposed for the opposition leader post. Dinesh Gunawardana, who borne many senior ministerial posts in the Rajapaksa administration is a very close ally of the former president. 

 

Although S.B. Disanayake who was defeated but entered the parliament through the national list name is reported it is believed that he is anticipating getting the Samurdi ministry post in current national government. 

 

Confirmed reports say Nimal Siripala De Silva who held the opposition leader post from January to June would be given a ministerial position in the new national government.