Central Province Opposition Leader Ranjith Aluvihare said today the Attorney General had granted approval to submit the no-confidence motion against the Central Province Chief Minister Sarath Ekanayake and that his party (UNP) will be submitting it to the council shortly.

“We have the support of 33 Councillors out of 57 in the council. We will submit the no-confidence motion once the new Councillors are appointed in place of the ones who were elected to parliament,” he said.

Mr. Aluvihare said 33 Councillors had submitted their affidavits pledging their support to the UNP.

He said he was coordinating the matters with regard to the affidavit and that he was doing it not to obtain the Chief Ministerial post.

When asked about the statement made by the Opposition leader, Central Province Chief Minister Sarath Ekanayake said he had the support of 36 Councillors and that no one can challenge it until the case filed by him was over.

“The Court has issued a Writ order preventing any moves to remove me from the Chief Ministerial post. Anyone can make statements but they have no legal basis,” he said.

Mr. Ekanayake said he had the majority support in the Central Province according to the Constitution and the Provincial Council’s Act. (Ajith Siriwardana and M.W. Somaratne)