JO vows to struggle for recognition as main opposition

10 March 2017 10:23 pm

The joint opposition said today it would continue its struggle inside and outside Parliament to secure the status of the main opposition in Parliament.

JO MP Dallas Alahapperuma said the exercise they were engaged in Parliament yesterday was the beginning of this struggle. “Our request ot the Speaker was the first step of this struggle," he said and added that the former speaker had acceded to their invitation to assist their cause.

MP Vasudeva Nanayakkara said the recognition given to the JVP and the TNA was not correct as the JO had more seats.

“Recognising the JVP and the TNA is not correct because the people will get the wrong impression that they are the main political forces in the Sinhala and Tamil areas respectively,” he said.

MP Jayantha Samaraweera said the JVP and the TNA cannot be recognized because these parties agreed to everything the government did.

The JO said Minister Kiriella's behaviour was even worse than that of MP Dinesh Gunawardene, because it was the minister who applied the most amount of pressure on the Speaker.  (Yohan Perera)