Waruna Liyanage joins Opposition

• Fills seat vacated by UPFA MP Ranjith Soysa
• Joins UNP, pledges to support Sajith Premadasa 
• Says no issue with MR, but anti-democratic forces in Govt.  

Waruna Priyantha Liyanage, who was sworn in to fill the seat vacated by United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) Ratnapura District MP Ranjith Soysa, joined the Opposition ranks, crossing the Chamber floor yesterday. MP Liyanage, delivering his maiden speech in Parliament, criticised the constitutional crisis. He said the anti-constitutional moves of UPFA motivated him to join the United National Party (UNP).

“I must say that I have no issues with MP Mahinda Rajapaksa. But I took a different decision, having witnessed the anti-democratic behaviour of Opposition lawmakers before the last election. However, I will not do politics in a place where anti-constitutional forces are active. So, I stood for the UNP and took a seat in Opposition, to support the new Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa,” he said, explaining the reasons for his crossover. 

During the 2015 General Elections, MP Liyanage received 49,850 votes from the Ratnapura District. “With the recent demise of MP Ranjith Soysa, I was able to become a lawmaker. It was my father who introduced the late MP Soysa to politics. During the last elections, my father and I supported Mahinda Rajapaksa. Former President Maithripala Sirisena allowed my application to go through in the nomination process of the Ratnapura District. I thank him for approving my application,” he added. 

Meanwhile, it was noticed UPFA lawmaker Kumara Welgama was seated in the Opposition benches next to UNP MP Abdul Haleem. Unless lawmakers cross over, seating themselves on the wrong side of Parliament is prohibited. (AH)