UNP writes to President, wants Parliament dissolved

The ruling United National Party (UNP)?is to write to President Maithripala Sirisena demanding that Parliament be dissolved.

UNP Parliamentarian and Deputy Foreign Minister Ajith Perera said that the UNP Working Committee had decided?that Parliament must be dissolved soon.

He said that the position of the UNP is that it supported President Maithripala Sirisena to create a 100 day Government and not a 200 day Government.

Perera said that with the mandate?of the Government ending on April 23 the UNP?does not want to remain in the Government anymore and wants Parliament elections to be held.

“The public gave us a clear mandate to appoint a new President and implement a 100 day program. We have successfully completed the 100 day program. Success does not mean it needs to be 100 percent. Even 65, 70 or 80 percent is a success. No political program can be completed 100 percent,” he said.

Perera said that while the UNP was able to support President Maithripala Sirisena to pass the 19th Amendment to the constitution, it is disappointed that the 20th Amendment on electoral reforms, which was initially agreed upon by cabinet, has now seen several changes.

He said the UNP is not in a position to fully agree to the electoral reforms proposals in its current form.

The Deputy Minister also raised concerns over moves to push for a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and comments made by some opposition members that they want a Sri Lanka Freedom Party Government appointed without holding elections.

Perera said that the UNP sees the?no-confidence motion as a form of threat from the opposition.

The UNP MP said that his party is confident the UNP will get the support of the public to form the next Government at the Parliament election.

He also said that after the Parliament election, the UNP is still determined to form an all-party Government as agreed on with President Maithripala Sirisena before the January 8 Presidential election.?(Colombo Gazette)