In the event UNP does not get majority Ranil says will not form govt. with any other party

• Speculation is rife that UNP might support SLPP
• If the SLPP wins polls, will seek support of all parties to repeal the 19th amendment
• President had insisted there was nothing good in the 19th amendment

By JAMILA HUSAIN   

In the event it does not secure a majority of seats in the upcoming General Elections, the United National Party has no intention of forming a government with any other party, UNP’s leader Ranil Wickremesinghe told Daily Mirror yesterday.   

Speculation is rife that the UNP might consider supporting the SLPP, if the government wins the upcoming polls but falls short of a two-thirds majority which will make them struggle to get bills passed in parliament.  

When questioned, Wickremesinghe said his party would not form a government with anyone else and did not elaborate further.   

The Daily Mirror learns that if the SLPP wins the upcoming polls, it intends seeking the support of all political parties to repeal the 19th amendment in parliament. In December, just a month after President Gotabaya Rajapaksa was sworn into the presidency, he had insisted there was nothing good in the 19th amendment and that it would be completely repealed.   
Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa last month hinted that a parliamentary majority was needed to repeal the 19th amendment to the Constitution, adding that many of the issues faced by the country and the main reason for the failure of the previous administration was the 19th amendment.