The Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) members in the government will remain as one group without supporting any other group, Minister S.B. Dissanayake said. 

He was speaking to reporters after a meeting a held between the President, UPFA Ministers and MPs in the government at the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, today (19). 

He stated that they held extensive talks with the President regarding the recent election, the result of the election and the decisions they took collectively as the SLFP and the UPFA.

“We in the SLFP and UPFA members will continue to remain together unwavered. No one will jump this way or the other way or join lists from here and there.” 

“We decided to make a massive change within the government. We requested to the relevant people regarding that. Their responses to that were not good. But we will remain with our decision to make those changes and do what is necessary.” 

“Our colleagues in parliament have agreed to give the SLFP and the UPFA, the strength which is needed to legally carry out those changes,” Dissanayake said. 

Responding to a question, he stated that appointing a Prime Minister from the UPFA is one of their alternatives and that it is still unchanged. 

“We have the strength for that, but that is our second alternative.” 

He also stated that they have a majority in the Parliament and that not just 113 MPs, they have “more than enough strength.” “There is no problem with regard to power.” 

He stressed that they will remain together unwavered with the President and as one group. “We will implement the decision taken and we have the necessary strength.” 

When asked whether the party is leaving the national government, he said that they are not leaving the government and that they will meet at the Cabinet meeting tomorrow and discuss.