Losing side MR claims victory for JO

MP and Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday (4 April) said it was a victory for the Joint Opposition, insisting the result would have been different if all Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) MPs voted in favour of the No-Confidence Motion against Premier Ranil Wickremesinghe.“This is a victory for the JO to reach 76 votes in favour, but the result would have been different had all SLFP MPs voted,” he told journalists after losing the No-Confidence Motion submitted by the JO. However, Rajapaksa appears to have got the Math wrong, as if those 26 who abstained voted, the Motion would have only secured 102 for and if all SLPFers voted it would have been still 118, whereas those against it numbered 122.

In a related development, MP Namal Rajapaksa tweeted that President Maithripala Sirisena’s habit of betrayal had been proven again at the No-Confidence Motion debate against the Premier.

“@RajapaksaNamal #SriLanka President @MaithripalaS’s habit of betrayal proven again at #NoConfidenceMotionSL against Prime Minister @RW_UNP. First he encouraged SLFP members to support it and then backs off. He has betrayed both the SLFP & UNP,” read Namal’s tweet.