With an eye on the forthcoming parliamentary elections, Justice and Law Reforms Minister Milinda Moragoda, MP has formed a new political party though he is yet to register it with the Elections Secretariat.
However, Moragoda’s Sri Lanka National Congress has already won recognition from the ruling SLFP-led coalition with UPFA General Secretary Susil Premjayanth accepting it as a UPFA constituent.
Last Thursday (Nov 19), former UNP non-cabinet minister R. A. D. Sirisena joined Moragoda to formally inform President Mahinda Rajapaksa of his move. President Rajapaksa has welcomed the move.
Moragoda in January 2006 joined a group of UNP MPs led by Karu Jayasuriya, who switched their allegiance to strengthen President Rajapaksa’s hand before fighting erupted in the Northern and Eastern Provinces. The UNP rebels thwarted a JVP bid to undermine the government by refusing to re-join the UPFA.
Except M. H. Mohammed and Dharmadasa Banda, all other rebels have obtained SLFP membership. All of them have been given important electorates to nurse. Sources said that the UNP Democratic Group) formed
by rebels was defunct and could no longer be considered a political entity.
R. A. D. Sirisena, who had sided with Moragoda along with former UNP strongman B. Sirisena Cooray, too, worked with the UNP (Democratic Group).
Well informed sources told ‘The Island’ that Moragoda would seek to register his party early next year. Moragoda contested the Colombo District at the last parliamentary polls and was among the top scorers of preferential votes.
Several other UNP MPs, who had joined the Rajapaksa government separately, too, have obtained SLFP membership. |
