Will not hesitate to form new political party: Dullas 

SLPP Chairman Prof. G. L. Peiris (centre) with SLPP MP’s addressing the media yesterday in Colombo - Pic by Ruwan Walpola

• Prepared to sit in Opposition
• Will form new party if need arises
• All-party Government needed to resolve crisis

Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) MP Dullas Alahapperuma says he along with the SLPP MPs supporting him will not hesitate a new party if needed. Alahapperuma made this startling claim hinting at a possible rift within the party as evidenced by the recent events. 

While admitting his group is still with the Government, Alahapperuma said however the future cannot be predicted. “If needed we as a group are even prepared to take seats in the Opposition,” he said, adding that they would also not hesitate to form a new political party if the need arises.   Alahapperuma said their group called for an all-party Government and not a joint Government as seen today. Holding a press briefing yesterday along with 11 MPs of the party including SLPP Chairman Prof. G.L. Peiris, Alahapperuma said it is important to form an all-party Government to solve the current crisis. The MP said that he firmly believed that one party, one person or one family is not capable of solving this crisis. Alahapperuma said all the 225 representatives of the parliament including himself are responsible for the economic crisis. The MP also said he was defeated in the presidential election by numbers but he has not been defeated politically yet. 

Also addressing the media briefing Prof. G.L Peiris said emergency laws are against the SLPP’s party policies. “In the current state of the country, the implementation of emergency law is completely against the basic policies of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna. The regulations promulgated under the Emergency Law have the power to nullify all the laws that assure us human rights,” he said.