SLPP split over Ranil:

By Shamindra Ferdinando

SLPP Chairman Prof. G.L. Peiris yesterday (17) said that he was yet to receive a clarification from General Secretary of the Party, Sagara Kariyawasam, MP, as regards the latter’s statement that the party had decided to support the candidature of Acting President Ranil Wickremesinghe for the Office of President.

Pointing out that Attorney-at-Law Kariyawasam, MP, had announced the SLPP’s support for UNP leader Wickremesinghe, even before the Acting President had made an announcement, Prof. Peiris has sought answers to six specific questions, as such a move hadn’t been discussed at any level.Kariyawasam made the announcement on Friday, a day after Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardene announced him receiving President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s letter of resignation. Responding to The Island queries, Prof. Peiris, who holds the Foreign Affairs portfolio, said that this issue at hand should be resolved as nominations were to be accepted tomorrow and the election expected to be held in Parliament on Wednesday 20 July in terms of Article 40 of the Constitution and the applicable provisions of the Presidential Elections Act, No.2 of 1981.

The SLPP Chairman has sent the following questions to the General Secretary of the Party: (1) Under what authority this purported decision was made (2) The names of persons who purportedly participated in the making of this decision (3) The basis of selection of these persons (4) The venue, date and time of the purported meeting (5) Particulars relating to the notice convening this purported meeting, including the date and time of’ this notice and (6) The provisions of the Constitution of the SLPP, in terms of which this purported decision was made.

The SLPP is the largest single party represented in the current Parliament. It consists of 145 members.So far, SLPP MP Dullas Alahapperuma (Matara District), SJB leader Sajith Premasada (Colombo District) and JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake (Colombo District) have declared their intention to contest. The SJB and JVP parliamentary groups comprise 54 and 03 members, respectively.

SLPP National List MP Gevindu Cumaratunga yesterday told The Island that choosing an MP to complete the remainder of Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s presidency was quite a burden for 225 members of Parliament. Yuthukama Chief Cumaratunga, who represented the dissident group since the breaking up of the ruling coalition over the Yugadanavi deal, emphasized that the presidential aspirants should submit their proposals to political parties and various factions in the Parliament. It wouldn’t be realistic to expect them to submit a comprehensive set of proposals, lawmaker Cumaratunga said, urging them, including the Acting President, if intended to contest to submit proposals immediately.

Responding to queries, MP Cumaratunga said that though Gotabaya Rajapaksa has resigned, the mandate he received at the Nov 2019 election remained. That mandate couldn’t be simply thrown away though the man who received it no longer held Office of the President, the MP said. Therefore, members of Parliament would like to know how the presidential aspirants expected to proceed in case they won the July 20 contest, he said.

Lawmaker Cumaratunga questioned the rationale in the Acting President’s recent declaration that provisions of the 19th Amendment would be implemented. That should be examined against the backdrop of Justice Minister Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakse, PC, presenting the proposed 22 Amendment encompassing provisions of the 19th as well as the 20th, MP Cumaratunga said.

Well informed political sources said that though Sajith Premadasa and Dullas Alapapperuma have declared their intention to contest, negotiations meant to reach consensus regarding the post of presidency and premiership were continuing.