UNP appoints, but Bandaranayake supports UPFA

The United National Party (UNP) had named D.M. Bandaranayake and Anura Gopallawa to fill the vacancies created in the party by the defection of Johnston Fernando and Indika Bandaranayake from the Kurunegala district. However Mr. Bandaranayake had met President Mahinda Rajapaksa and pledged his support to the United People’s Freedom Alliance.

Earlier the Commissioner of Elections had gazetted the names of three opposition politicians, Myown M. Mustapha, D.M. Bandaranaike and Anura Gopallawa as new parliamentarians.

The UNP critisised the Speaker in Parliament this morning for failing to swear in the new members. But the Government insisted that since this was session was specially reconvened to pass the Emergency regulations for another month, it could not swear in the mew members.