The UNP is likely to distance itself from what political sources called a Mangala-Sripathy initiative to move a no-confidence motion against Tourism Minister Milinda Moragoda, a key member of the UNP rebel group.

This wasn't even discussed at the party level before a small group of MPs petioned Speaker W. J. M. Lokubandara seeking an early date to debate the motion.Moragoda himself has called for an early debate to clear the air.

Colombo District UNP MP and a major financier Mohammed Maharoof publicly protested against the move warning party leader Ranil Wickremesinghe that he wouldn't vote against Moragoda.

Party sources said that several party seniors had voiced concern over the move which had caused a fresh split ahead of the forthcoming budget. "It's an unfortunate situation," one UNP MP said, "This couldn't have happened at a worse time. In fact, this has distracted media attention."

Political sources said that the coverage of the no confidence motion by the Sirisa Media Group had embarrassed the UNP leadership. They said that this has had severely affected the ongoing campaign to promote the UNP alliance with SLFP (M) Wing styled as Jathika Sabhawa [National Congress].

The print media which is essentially supportive of the party had not been willing to target Moragoda, the sources said. The Sunday Island learns that Moragoda has asked Sirasa management to be 'soft' on the issue as he didn't want a further split in the party.

Political sources said that the top UNP leadership had underestimated Moragoda's influence over party affairs despite joining the government. The sources asserted that fiasco would further increase pressure on the leadership which is struggling to get the JVP on board to challenge the budget.

The ill-advised decision to unceremoniously drop its long standing support for a negotiated settlement on the basis of a federal concept too had failed to give the expected boost, the sources said. They pointed out that this decision too was taken without a consensus.