Dinesh, Wimal supposed to take separate seats in parliament.

Dinesh, Wimal supposed to take separate seats in parliament.

Speaker Chamal .... no change

Ranil .. where D.M. was -- Nimal where Ranil was!

After the new government came into power, there

was a number of changes that had taken place in the allocation of seats when the parliament convened at 1 p.m. today.

As the UNP and other Parties which contested at the Presidential Election as the Common Candidate -- all of them would be taking their seats in the government side in parliament. The SLFP and the UPFA are expected to take their seats in the Opposition side. They would be extending their support from the Opposition for the 100 Day Programme. However, the DNA and TNA will not be accepting any posts of Ministership though providing support for the 100 Day Programme and a number of decisions were taken by both Parties until last evening.

In the meantime, NFF (Wimal Weerawansa), MEP (Dinesh), the Communist Party and another Party who consented to render their support in a sensorious manner last evening had met the Speaker yesterday and had said that they would appear as an Opposition segment for the present government in power and therefore had requested for separate seating accommodation in the front line of the Opposition. The response of the Speaker has still not been received in this regard, it is understood.

The new Prime Minister Ranil had taken his seat where former Prime Minister D.M. was while the new Leader of the House, Minister Lakshman Kiriella had taken his seat today where the former Leader of the House, Mr. Nimal Silva was. Minister Gayantha Karunatillaka had taken his seat where Mr. Dinesh Goonewardena, Chief Organiser of the government Party was while Mr. Nimal Siripala had taken his seat where Opposition Leader Ranil was. Mr. John Seneviratna had taken his seat where Chief Organiser of the Opposition Mr. John Amaratunga was. Apart from this, it is expected that Party leaders of the UNFP are supposed to occupy front line seats of the Opposition.  

It was also reported that front line seats of the government would be bestowed on Atureliye Ratana Thero and senior Cabinet Ministers.

Since this is the first occasion when the Opposition would be providing support to the government by assembling in parliament as a National Government, the new prime Minister Mr. Ranil Wickremasinghe is expected to make a special statement in parliament.

While on other days there would be debates in parliament, short speeches are expected to be made by Party leaders about new political conditions and about their standing.

There were no new Acts or amendments while there were no changes effected in the duties of the Speaker Deputy Speaker either, it was learned.