rapa
01-08-2007, 09:52 PM
The Government is contemplating on setting up an entirely new cabinet by the end of this month, highly placed Government sources said, adding that the expansion was being planned to accommodate the large number of UNPers expected to join the Government shortly.
However, the source said that it would not be a crossover from the UNP to the SLFP but that they would hold a unique identity as a separate political entity in Parliament. He said in the past too there had been instances when the SLFP had been fractured in such a manner as in the early eighties when there was an SLFP- Sirima faction and the SLFP- Maithri faction of Maithripala Senanayake.
The problem of crossovers had arisen mainly due to the MoU between the Government and the UNP that was witnessed by a large number of clergy and other personalities in a ceremony with glamour. Therefore, he said that the Government would not encourage crossovers but would entertain a separate group with a separate identity.
The meeting Between President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Karu Jayasuriya has sparked off speculation that a group led by Jayasuriya would join hands with the President to form a new alliance. Government sources however said that the meeting between the two leaders was fruitful and both agreed that they should work together because the MoU between the two parties had not benefited the people. He said that the people had not felt anything new had happened after the signing of the MoU.
Rajapaksa had told Jayasuriya that although the UNP and the JVP agreed to work alongside the government their contribution to the Government is not felt by the people. He had said that the input is not enough and the parties should get together in a more productive manner. He had also said that the Government needs stability even to bring in new legislation as it has to think twice now due to the 88 members they have. It is likely that the new cabinet will be formed by January 15.
However, the source said that it would not be a crossover from the UNP to the SLFP but that they would hold a unique identity as a separate political entity in Parliament. He said in the past too there had been instances when the SLFP had been fractured in such a manner as in the early eighties when there was an SLFP- Sirima faction and the SLFP- Maithri faction of Maithripala Senanayake.
The problem of crossovers had arisen mainly due to the MoU between the Government and the UNP that was witnessed by a large number of clergy and other personalities in a ceremony with glamour. Therefore, he said that the Government would not encourage crossovers but would entertain a separate group with a separate identity.
The meeting Between President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Karu Jayasuriya has sparked off speculation that a group led by Jayasuriya would join hands with the President to form a new alliance. Government sources however said that the meeting between the two leaders was fruitful and both agreed that they should work together because the MoU between the two parties had not benefited the people. He said that the people had not felt anything new had happened after the signing of the MoU.
Rajapaksa had told Jayasuriya that although the UNP and the JVP agreed to work alongside the government their contribution to the Government is not felt by the people. He had said that the input is not enough and the parties should get together in a more productive manner. He had also said that the Government needs stability even to bring in new legislation as it has to think twice now due to the 88 members they have. It is likely that the new cabinet will be formed by January 15.