By Shamindra Ferdinando

Jathika Jana Balawegaya (JJB) MP Vijitha Herath yesterday (14) said that having supported the preparation of the 2024 Budget proposals, the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) couldn’t complain now of what was presented by President Ranil Wickremesinghe, in his capacity as the Finance Minister.

The Gampaha District lawmaker pointed out that both State Ministers of Finance, Ranjith Siyambalapitiya (SLPP Kegalle District) and Shehan Semasinghe (SLPP Anuradhapura District) had been present at the finalisation of the budget proposals at President Wickremesinghe’s official residence at Mahagamasekara Mawatha (formerly Paget road) on Sunday (12).

MP Herath said so when The Island sought JJB’s response to former President Mahinda Rajapaksa and ex-Minister Namal Rajapaksa distancing the SLPP from the budget proposals. The JVP leads the JJB. MP Herath pointed out that SLPPers in the Cabinet, too, endorsed budget proposals therefore the Rajapaksas attempt to question budget proposals didn’t hold water.

Except for President Wickremesinghe and Ministers Manusha Nanayakkara and Harin Fernando (both members of the SJB) all other members of the Cabinet, including Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena were either elected on the SLPP ticket or appointed on its National List.

The JVPer stressed that Budget 2024 was Wickremesinghe-Rajapaksa government’s baby, therefore the SLPP would have no option but to vote for it. Responding to another query, the top JJB spokesperson reminded the SLPP that Wickremesinghe was chosen as Finance Minister and President in April and July, 2022, respectively by the SLPP and then it overwhelmingly endorsed the UNP leader’s mini budget presented on Aug 30, 2022.

A total of 115 MPs voted for the interim budget whereas the JJB’s three members and two All Ceylon Tamil Congress MPs voted against it.

Soon after the presentation of the 2024 Budget MP Namal Rajapaksa said most of the proposals in Budget 2024 had been announced at the mini budget. “Those proposals haven’t been implemented at all therefore they were presented again,” MP Rajapaksa said, declaring that the SLPP was waiting to see whether this year’s presentation too was only talk.

MP Rajapaksa said that as Wickremesinghe presented Budget 2024 as Finance Minister of the Pohottu government, the ruling party’s proposals, too, should have been included.

MP Herath said that as two SLPP MPs functioned as State Ministers of Finance, the party owed an explanation whether the SLPP parliamentary group furnished proposals to the Finance Minister. The JVP insisted that the SLPP couldn’t under any circumstances deny Budget 2024 being its responsibility unless they voted against it.

The President’s party UNP is represented in Parliament by single National List MP Wajira Abeywardena. Lawmaker Herath said that President Wickremesinghe during the budget presentation reminded the SJB that they reached consensus on some of the proposals when they were on the same side. The President was referring to the 2015-2019 Yahapalana administration.

MP Herath said that the contrary to SJB statements, the main Opposition party could easily reach consensus with the Wickremesinghe-Rajapaksa budget proposals.

The JVPer pointed out that the proposal to divest 20 percent stake in each of the two major State Banks had been a longstanding project of the UNP and President Wickremesinghe seemed hell bent on implementing what he couldn’t do in the 2002-2003 and 2015-2019 periods.

Commenting on the SLFP, MP Herath said that those SLFPers who had received portfolios would back the budget hence the party’s stand is irrelevant, the JVPer said.