Monday Nov 11, 2024
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Monday Nov 11, 2024
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Former President Maithripala Sirisena |
Former President Maithripala Sirisena has said the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) together with leftist parties in Parliament will form a Government in the near future.
“I assure you that we will work towards forming a future Government with our fraternal leftist parties,” he said.
Sirisena, who is also the Chairman of the SLFP made these comments while attending the SLFP Maharagama electoral organisation meeting on Sunday.
Sirisena said he is not prepared to hold any post in the current Government led by the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP). “I believe it was Thilanga Sumathipala who said I would do a better job as Premier. But I am not prepared to hold any position under the current regime. The truth is that it is being led by the Pohottuwa,” he said.
According to Sirisena, the SLFP always maintained that an all-party Government must be formed to resolve the crisis faced by the country. “But this is not an all-party Government. This is a traditional Government as it has always existed in this country,” he noted.
Sirisena said it is reported that the current Cabinet posts are set to increase to 30 Ministers while another 40 State Ministers are also to be appointed shortly. “The SLFP proposed that the Cabinet must be limited to 20,” he added.
During the meeting, Sirisena also slammed fellow SLFP member Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva. “During a party central committee meeting my friend Nimal Siripala de Silva said the SLFP would only join a Government which is truly an all-party Government,” Sirisena recalled adding that the very next day de Silva accepted a Ministerial post in the current Government.
Sirisena said he had not sanctioned any SLFP member to accept positions in the current Government despite the claims of those who joined it.
