UNP Committee With Three 'Sirisena Sympathizers' To Present Recommendations Today: Will They Decide To Co-exist With SLFP?

February 14, 2018

The United National Party committee appointed to present recommendations on the future of the unity government will present its recommendations this evening. 

The committee comprises of Ministers Mangala Samaraweera, Kabir Hashim, Thalatha Atukorale, Akila Viraj Kariyawasam and Sagala Ratnayaka. 

It would be interesting to see the recommendation of this committee as three of its members - namely Samaraweera, Hashim and Atukorale - are known to be "Sirisena sympathizers."  

It is known among the political circles that the three members closely associated with Sirisena in the run-up to the recent Local Government election, while the latter was heavily criticizing the UNP. 

Their split loyalty, however, will be 'balanced' to some degree by Kariyawasam and Ratnayaka, who are known to be staunch supporters of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. 

As the majority of committee members are Sirisena sympathizers, it can be assumed that the committee might push for the continuity of the same government, moving away from the unanimous decision made by the United National Front party leaders and UNP back-benchers to form a new, UNP-led government.  

Asian Mirror learns that any recommendation to co-exist with the members of the SLFP in the same Cabinet will irk the UNP back-benchers who are strongly pushing for a solo government. 

They are also of the opinion that such a recommendation will discourage SLFP Ministers negotiating 'crossovers' with the UNP, thereby depriving the party of an opportunity to strengthen itself after the Local Government election loss.