24 February 2016 04:34 pm
Highways Deputy Minister and SLFP Spokesman Dilan Perera told the weekly SLFP media briefing yesterday that the SLFP Central Committee that met recently chaired by Party Chief President Maithripala Sirisena took this decision, with the agreement of all members and also decided to take strict disciplinary action against those, who violate party directives.
Deputy Minister Perera said the SLFP General Secretary, Agriculture Minister Duminda Dissanayaka was tasked to inform all SLFP members on the Central Committee decision.
He added the SLFP high command would not tolerate propaganda, discussions, action or conversing hereafter among members to form a new political party or act as an independent group in Parliament within the SLFP.
“The directive had been proposed some time ago but not approved by the Central Committee. However, the party decided to approve and make it effective under the prevailing situation,” Perera said.
Deputy Minister Perera said only Parliamentarians Dinesh Gunawardane, Vasudeva Nanayakkara, Wimal Weerawansa, and Udaya Gammanpila of the UPFA talk about new political parties and act as independent members within the Joint Opposition.
“The support to them among other UPFA members is dwindling rapidly. Before long, the talk about new parties and new Parliamentary groups will come to a whimper,” he said.
Commenting on certain remarks made by Parliamentarian Udaya Gammanpila at a media event on SLFP Ministers in the Consensual Government comparing them to lap dogs, Deputy Minister Perera said he did not want to talk much about animals as there were so many Uru Meeya (Bandicoots), Urulewa (Minor Indian Civet), Unahapuluwa ( Slender Loris) and, the Pissu Puasas (Crazy Cats), in the present day politics in the country and asked not to take much notice of a politician, who does not belong to any political party.
Perera expressed his satisfaction over Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe’s consent to accept the amendments proposed by the UPFA to the resolution now in debate in Parliament to establish a Constitutional Assembly to draft the new Constitution or introduce amendments to the Constitution.
Premier Wickremesinghe has already agreed to the nine amendments the SLFP had proposed to the resolution.
At a discussion the UPFA had with him in Tuesday afternoon, he accepted the amendments proposed by the UPFA. It is a very positive sign to speed up the Constitutional reform process,” he stressed.
Deputy Minister Perera said a new political culture had come to prominence since the Consensual Government came to power, which is not to oppose each and every move of the UNP by the SLFP and vice-versa, which will auger well for the country’s progress. (Sandun A Jayasekera)
Video by Chaturanga Pradeep