An SLFP faction to cross over to Joint Opposition resulting in a shake up of National Government -- change in opposition leadership -- cabinet reshuffle!

An SLFP faction to cross over to Joint Opposition resulting in a shake up of National Government 

-- change in opposition leadership -- cabinet reshuffle!

A prominent faction of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party as the main participants of the National Government being against the Prime minister, problems have cropped up in continuing with the National Government.

Tonight a faction of the SLFP would be taking their seats with Joint Opposition, it is reported. Dr. Ramesh Pathirana of United Peoples' Freedom Alliance has said that Susil Prema Jayantha, Nimal Siripala de

Silva and Anura Priyadarshana Yapa and some others would be leaving the present government this evening and thereafter the incumbent Yahapalana government would come to a close. There are reports to say that about 25 Mps of the SLFP. As such, news sources close to the President reveal that all Mps from the national list who cast their vote at the no-confidence against the Prime Minister and occupy seats in the Opposition would according to the constitution of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party would be subjected to being expelled from their positions of members of parliament. As such, with a faction of Mps of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party giving support for the no confidence motion there arises an opportunity for a United National Party government coming into power. United National Party Mp Mr. Nalin Bandara has stated that what exists among Mps of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party is not any unity but only a division and that a majority of cabinet ministers would become members of parliament tomorrow.

A new government would be formed by the UNP by getting together with Tamil Alliance, Muslim parties and a crowd from the SLFP and in the process the United Peoples' Freedom Alliance would turn out to be the rival leading party of the Opposition with Mps who have left the Sri Lanka Freedom Party forming the United Peoples' Freedom Alliance. In such a case a new Opposition leader would be appointed and he should be from the group who represents the majority Opposition.  In the meantime it has been reported that a cabinet reshuffle with the new government is in the cards tomorrow or Monday and a reconstruction of the UNP is to take place.

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