• Sajith Premadasa does not want power from the back door
• No provisions in the Constitution on forming of interim governments
• They are free to reappoint Mahinda as the Prime Minister once again
• We are concerned about the plight of 22 million people in the country

By Sandun A Jayasekera   

The Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) continues to remain as the main opposition in Parliament in the event of passing the No Confidence Motion (NCM) against the repulsive SLPP government and forming the proposed interim government, chief opposition whip and senior vice president of the SJB, Lakshman Kiriella said yesterday.  

The SJB has no mandate to rule the country as we obtain only 23% of votes at the Parliamentary polls held on August 5th, 2020. Being the main political party in the country that upholds Parliamentary traditions and democracy, our leader Sajith Premadasa does not want power from the back door, Kiriella added.“There are no provisions in the Constitution on forming of interim governments. Therefore, they are free to reappoint Mahinda as the Prime Minister once again. That is the ludicrousness of this entire drama,” he noted. “Nevertheless, the SJB has no objection if other political parties in Parliament form the so called interim government or a stop gap administration until the next general election. But we are concerned about the plight of the country. Who can find solutions immediately to the burning problems that have devastated the lives of 22 million people? We are more than happy if the new rulers can procure essential food commodities, fuel, gas, drugs, raw materials to the industry and take steps to appreciate the rupee against the dollar and bring down the cost of living in the days to come. In that case the SJB gives it’s fullest support to the new government unconditionally,”  Kiriella stressed.   

He lamented that the much touted discussion by the top Sri Lanka delegation with the IMF, led by Finance and Justice Minister Ali Sabry has not been able to secure a significant bailout plan or instant aid package from the global financial body while the pressing issues in the country keep aggravating by the day. The tactic of SLPP government and proponents of the interim government is to kill time until IMF offers some relief in a few months. What will happen to the country and people by then?Don’t forget the fact that the Yahapalana government handed the regime to the SLPP with US$ 7.9 billion of foreign reserves in the end of 2019. With less than one billion dollars in foreign reserves today, Sri Lanka has gone total bankruptcy and can import food only sufficient for 3 days. That is the record of the Gotabaya Rajapaksa regime that pledged 22 million unsuspecting voters of this country a vistas of prosperity and splendor, Kiriella told Daily Mirror.