SLMC to defeat no-confidence motion against PM

The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) has decided to defeat the motion of no confidence against Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, when it is taken up for vote in Parliament tomorrow (4).

The SLMC’s Supreme Council convened today and decided to vote against the motion, SLMC leader Minister Rauf Hakeem said. 

“As a party which is a part of the government, we see this no-confidence motion as having been brought against the government. The supreme council decided that we should vote to defeat the no-confidence motion.” 

“We intend to brief the Prime Minister regarding certain questions that were raised during the council’s meeting,”  he told reporters in Colombo.  

Parliament is slated to debate the no-confidence motion, which was brought by the Joint Opposition, in Parliament tomorrow (4) with parties - including major partners of the government- being divided over the vote. 

Wickremesinghe’s United National Party (UNP) has decided to defeated the motion while President Maithripala Sirisena’s Sri Lanka Freedom party (SLFP), the other half of the unity government, yesterday deciding to request the PM to step down. 

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) led by Opposition Leader R. Sampanthan, who called on the President earlier today, has stated that it would decide on the no-confidence motion by tonight.