Sampanthan faces resistance for opposition post

Some members of the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) today?raised concerns over attempts to make Tamil National Alliance (TNA)?the main opposition in Parliament.

Fourteen UPFA members including former President Mahinda Rajapakse now sit in the opposition benches opposing the National Government while?the TNA has?16 seats.

The TNA this week?claimed that R. Sampanthan?must be recognized as the leader of the opposition in accordance with parliamentary practice and convention as they have now emerged as the largest political party in the opposition in Parliament, after the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and United National Party (UNP) decided to work together in the new parliament.

However UPFA member, Udaya Gammanpila said?that despite the TNA now having more seats than any other opposition party, they worked against the country, especially by calling for an international domestic probe into war crimes.

“The TNA has a separatist agenda and they have been calling for an international war crimes probe which all parties are against. And they are a regional party, only representing the north and east of the country. So despite having more seats, it cannot be the main opposition,” Gammanpila said.

He further said that the UPFA members who had decided to sit as opposition parliamentarians had already submitted a name from its party for the opposition leader’s post to President Maithripala Sirisena and expected an answer from the President soon. (Colombo Gazette)