News
Opposition calls SLPP bluff, challenges ruling party to defeat budget
ECONOMYNEXT –Amid speculation of a widening rift within the ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) over its political future, the main opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) has called the SLPP’s bluff, challenging it to defeat the upcoming budget if they want an election.
Former SJB MP Mujibur Rahuman said the SLPP can defeat the upcoming budget if they want a parliamentary election.
“If the Rajapaksas want to go for an election, they can defeat the budget. We don’t know if they’ll take that decision,” Rahuman said speaking to reporters. “What we see is that they talk big outside, but turn into kittens at the sight of President Ranil Wickremesinghe. Those are the Rajapksas that are visible to us,” he said.
SLPP legislator S M Chandrasena said his party will be the “main factor” at future presidential and parliamentary elections, speculation over its internal divisions notwithstanding. He told reporters at the party headquarters Friday November 10 morning that no one can bring the SLPP down.
“Many are slinging mud at the SLPP, claiming the Pohottuwa (party symbol) was what caused the economic crisis and other crises. We know that for years, particularly during the Yahapalana government, the country took 12 billion dollars in loans. With nothing to show for it, as far as we know,” the MP said.
“So our party cannot be brought down. Our party is the main factor in the election of the next president and also in the formation of the next government,” he added.
Meanwhile, according to National People’s Power (NPP) leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake, the SLPP is in a predicament. Dissanayake said at an event in the US earlier this week that an early parliamentary poll would prove disastrous to the Rajapaksa-led party, so they would have to throw their weight behind President Wickremesinghe at the presidential poll, which would also spell a shift of power to Wickremesinghe’s associates and confidantes in his United National Party (UNP).
The only way for an early parliamentary poll would be for the president to dissolve parliament, which he is unlikely to do, with the upcoming budget also unlikely to be defeated, Dissanayake, who leads the Marxist-Leninist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) said.
Dissanayake currently leads at least one opinion poll on presidential election voting intent.
The government, under heavy Opposition fire over inclusion of a sex website in the Grade 6 English module, as well as overall education reforms, has decided to put on hold reforms in respect of Grade 6.
Cabinet Spokesman and Media and Health Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa announced the government decision yesterday (13) at the post-Cabinet media briefing at the Information Department.
According to him, the decision had been taken at the previous day’s Cabinet meeting, chaired by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. Dr. Jayatissa said that education reforms pertaining to Garde 6 had been put on hold until 2027.
The Minister said that other proposed education reforms would be implemented as planned. The Minister said that action would be taken against those responsible for the inclusion of a link to a sex website following investigations conducted by the Criminal Investigation Department and the National Education Institute.
The SJB and several other political parties, as well as civil society groups, have accused the government of promoting an LGBTQ agenda, through the proposed education reforms.
The Opposition grouping Mahajana Handa, on Monday, made representations to the Mahanayake Thera of the Malwatta Chapter regarding the controversial reforms, while urging their intervention to halt the project.
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake yesterday (13) vowed to go ahead with his government’s agenda, regardless of the destruction caused by Cyclone Ditwah.
Emphasising the responsibility on the part of all to contribute to the post-Ditwah recovery efforts, President Dissanayake said that he would have complete faith in the public service.
The President said so at the launch of the re-building Sri Lanka project at the BMICH yesterday.
The JVP and NPP leader said that he wouldn’t take advantage of the death and destruction caused by the cyclone or use the situation as an excuse to reverse their agenda or weaken it.
President Dissanayake said that in spite of many calling for amending the then Budget, in view of the cyclone, the government presented the proposals that were agreed before the disaster struck.
The United States has announced that it will provide the Sri Lanka Air Force with 10 US Navy TH-57 helicopters free of charge.
The announcement was made by outgoing US Ambassador Julie Chung, who stated, on social media, that the helicopters would be transferred under the United States’ Excess Defence Articles programme. The aircraft are Bell 206 Sea Ranger helicopters previously operated by the US Navy.
US sources said that the transfer was intended to strengthen Sri Lanka’s disaster response capabilities, following the devastating cyclone that struck the island at the end of 2025 and killed more than 600 people. US officials have framed the move as a humanitarian measure aimed at improving aerial rescue and relief operations.
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