The SLFP would not leave the government until two terms were completed, but it was up to the party’s Central Committee to make a final decision in that regard, party Spokesman and State Minister of Highways Dilan Perera said.
Addressing the media at the party head office in Colombo, he said the SLFP had joined the national unity government for a two-year period, which would end shortly.
The UNP wanted SLFPers to leave the government as they could not implement their own policies and corrupt deals, while the SLFP was part of the government, the minister said.
Perera, citing an example, said the UNP had failed to extend the term of former Central Bank governor Arjuna Mahendran due to the pressure from the SLFP members in the government.
He said they would not support the Development (Special Provisions) Bill in Parliament as it would create a super minister.
"We have to facilitate foreign investments, but that is reason for creating a super minister vested with more powers than the President or the Prime Minister," Perera said, accusing the previous government of having had such minister.
Perera said a majority of the JO were SLFP parliamentarians and expected a drastic political change at the local government election scheduled to be held next year.
Western Province Chief Minister Isura Devapriya said that not only Chief Ministers of seven provincial councils which were controlled by the SLFP led UFPA but the Northern Provincial Council, too, opposed the proposed bill.
He said however Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe had called them for a meeting to explain the ingredients of the bill this evening.
Deputy Minister of Telecommunications and Digital Infrastructure Tharanath Basnayake said 80% of the electoral restructuring of the SLFP Youth Wing had been completed so far to face a future election.
He said 90% of the other restructuring programmes of the party too had been completed for the purpose.
