SLFP will boycott National Council: Maithripala Sirisena

Thursday, 29 September 2022 02:28 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) Chairman Maithripala Sirisena

Says National Council should have been appointed prior to appointment of President and PM
Opines President and PM appointments should have been made following discussions with National Council
Announces no MP representing SLFP will join inaugural meeting today

Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) Chairman Maithripala Sirisena said the party will not be part of the National Council.

Sirisena announced the party’s decision at a press conference held yesterday at the party headquarters in Darley Road.

The inaugural meeting of the National Council is scheduled to be held today under the patronage of Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena. On 23 September, the Speaker announced to Parliament a list of MPs who have been nominated for the National Council which was established according to a proposal made by Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena.

Sirisena said the National Council should have been appointed prior to making appointments to the posts of President and Prime Minister. “The National Council should have been appointed first. Following that, discussions should have been held to appoint the President and Prime Minister,” he opined.

“The President has only decided to appoint the National Council after appointing a large Cabinet. The SLFP therefore cannot be part of such a program,” he added.

Members of Parliament nominated to the ‘National Council’ established are Douglas Devananda, Naseer Ahamed, Tiran Alles, Sisira Jayakody, Sivanesathurai Chnadrakanthan, Johnston Fernando, Rauff Hakeem, Pavithradevi Wanniarachchi, Wajira Abeywardana, A.L.M. Athaullah, Prof. Tissa Vitharana, Rishad Bathiudeen, Wimal Weerawansa, Vasudeva Nanayakkara, Palani Digambaram, Mano Ganesan, Udaya Gammanpila, Rohitha Abegunawardhana, Namal Rajapaksa, Jeevan Thondaman, G.G. Ponnambalam, Ven. Athuraliye Rathana Thero, Asanka Navarathna, Ali Sabri Raheem, C.V. Wigneswaran, Weerasumana Weerasinghe and Sagara Kariyawasam.

The National Council is expected to provide guidance through the consensus of all parties to formulate short, medium, and long-term national policies and to agree on short-term and medium-term common minimum programs related to economic stabilisation.