UNP to act against cross over MPs

The UNP Working Committee is likely to decide on action to be taken against MPs who contested under the Elephant symbol in the Parliamentary election of 2010 and still voted in favour of the impeachment motion in Parliament on 11 January in violation of party orders.

The Party’s working committee is likely to call for explanation from 16 MPs who voted in favour of the impeachment, that the UNP said was a violation of the Constitution as determined by the Supreme Court.

The number includes eight Sri Lanka Muslim Congress MPs including Justice Minister Rauff Hakeem, although some SLMC sources said the MoU signed with the UNP before the 2010 poll allowed the party to take independent positions in Parliament if necessary.

A.R.M. Abdul Cader, Rauff Hakeem, Lakshman Seneviratne, Earl Gunasekera, Manusha Nanayakkara, Nimal Wijesinghe, Upkesha Swarnamali, Mohan Lal Grero, Hassan Ali, H.M.M. Harees, Palany Thigambaram, Prabha Ganeshan, Mohamed Aslam, M.J. Thowfeek, Abdul Haleem and M.B. Farook are all MPs who entered Parliament contesting under the Elephant symbol but now support the Government.

UNP Senior Vice President Lakshman Kiriella said that the Party would take action against the errant MPs within the next two weeks.