By Shamindra Ferdinando

The Samagi Jana Balavegaya (SJB) is ready to support newly elected Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe’s efforts to build an all-party consensus on an ambitious economic revival plan, but it will not accept any minsterial positions.

The SJB secured 54 seats, including one National List slot, at the last parliamentary election in August 2020. Its National List member Diana Gamage later switched her allegiance to the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), but for some reason they were not able to kick her out of that seat.

SJB MP Dr. Harsha de Silva yesterday (17) said that he was ready to provide leadership to the parliamentary watchdog, the Committee on Public Finance (COPF). The Colombo District lawmaker said he intended to give the leadership for the preparation of an economic revival plan to address the current issues at hand.

Dr. de Silva said so when The Island asked whether he would accept the repeated requests made by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Premier Ranil Wickremesinghe for the Opposition MPs to join the government.

Asked whether he was confident of receiving the SLPP’s blessings for the plan, Dr. de Silva said that the SJB informed PM Wickremesinghe of their offer. He assured that if he was given the opportunity, measures would be taken to prepare a blue print for the economic revival.

Dr. de Silva said that an all-party government could have been formulated with the participation of the SJB, too, if President Gotabaya Rajapaksa had resigned, as demanded by the people.

Dr. de Silva emphasised that he wouldn’t under any circumstance, betray the party and the ongoing public protest campaign by declaring allegiance to the government.

‘Gota Go Gama’ campaign has launched a poster campaign in Colombo and its suburbs declaring opposition to what it called ‘Gota-Ranil’ unholy alliance.

Dr. de Silva said that the SJB would propose him as the new Chairman of the COPF. Pointing out that Parliament couldn’t pass any Financial Bill without the approval of the COPF, Dr. de Silva said that the outfit could provide the much needed leadership as the country struggled to cope with the forex crisis.

Currently, SLPP’s Anura Priyadrashana Yapa heads the COPF. Kurunegala District lawmaker Yapa yesterday told The Island that the COPF was scheduled to meet later this week. MP Yapa said that he was aware of the offer made by Dr. de Silva in the wake of him being increasingly coming under pressure to accept the finance portfolio. In addition to the COPF, SLPP lawmakers, Prof. Charitha Ratwatte and Prof. Tissa Vitharana, head the COPE (Committee on Public Enterprises) and COPA (Committee on Public Accounts), respectively.

Commenting on how the SLPP had thwarted SJB’s nominee, lawmaker Rohini Kaviratna’s bid for the post of Deputy Speaker on Tuesday (17), Dr. de Silva said that a divided SLPP seemed to be pulling in different directions.

The former UNP lawmaker de Silva said that he was ready to take up the challenge. The MP expressed the view that as COPF Chairman he could play a role as important as that of a minister.

Dr. de Silva said that the plan worked out by the COPF could be cleared by Parliament through an all-party consensus for implementation.

The top SJB spokesman said as pointed out by Premier Wickremesinghe, in his address to the nation on Monday (16) the economy was in bad shape urgent action was required to revive it.