JO DIVIDED ON PM’S MOTION | Daily News

JO DIVIDED ON PM’S MOTION

There were flareups at the Joint Opposition Parliamentary Group meeting yesterday over the proposed No Confidence Motion (NCM) against Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.

Dissenting views have been expressed by JO members over submitting the NCM. JO MPs Ramesh Pathirana, Nimal Lansa, Prasanna Ranatunga and Kumara Welgama had severely criticised the move to bring in an NCM against the PM stating that it was an imprudent move. They had pointed out that the NCM might belittle the recent achievements of the JO.

They had stated that the content of the NCM does not give a clear picture. They had questioned as to who would take the position of PM, if Wickremesinghe was defeated.

However, sources close to the JO said MP Mahindananda Aluthgamage had proposed to submit the NCM despite not knowing whether it would garner the required majority or not. According to JO sources, the NCM has been signed by about 52 MPs.

However, a large number of SLFP members in the Government ranks had refused to sign the NCM. When MP Lansa had approached Ministers Dayasiri Jayasekara and Chandima Weerakkody, they had stated that they would not sign the NCM.

“The idea for the NCM was put forth by UNP State Minister Palitha Range Bandara and the SLFP promoted it. But now, it is the JO MPs who have had to shoulder the entire burden,” MP Lansa had stated.


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