National Freedom Front (NFF) leader MP Wimal Weerawansa today criticized his former party, the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna, for the motion of no-confidence brought forth by them against the incumbent government.

Speaking to reporters after meeting with the Archbishop Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith in Colombo, he said that they briefed the religious leader on the no-confidence motion brought against Minister Rishad Bathiudeen.

He said that when a no-confidence motion is brought against the government at this juncture, the MPs of the ruling party will be looking at Rishad Bathiudeen with the intention of safeguarding the government.

He said that the 6-7 parliamentarians of Rishad’s party - the All Ceylon Makkal Congress (ACMC) – would be a decisive factor in a no-confidence motion against the government.

Weerawansa said that when two no-confidence motions are brought forth in this manner, Minister Rishad Bathiudeen gains a ‘bargaining power’ and that he could now tell ruling party MPs that he will not use his party’s votes to save the government if they don’t safeguard him.

He charged that by bringing a no-confidence motion against the government, the JVP has given Rishad Bathiudeen a decisive power and a bargaining power. He also accused them of thereby safeguarding “a father of Wahhabi terrorism.”