Opposition leaders to meet Prime Minister

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 06 July 2004, 20:14 GMT]
Leaders of joint opposition parties are scheduled to meet the Prime Minister Mr.Mahinda Rajapakse of the minority ruling United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government Thursday to discuss the possibility of advancing the date of next session of the parliament, which is scheduled for 20 July, political sources said.

Leaders of the main opposition United National Party (UNP), Tamil National Alliance (TNA), Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC), Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC), Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) and Upcountry peoples front (UPF) met Monday and took this decision to meet the Prime Minister following the rejection of their request by the government to advance the date of the next session of the parliament at the meeting of party leaders held earlier on the day in the Speaker's Chamber. Speaker Mr.W.J.M.Lokkubandara presided over the meeting, the sources said.

Minister Mr.Jayaraj Fernandopulle who is the chief whip of the ruling UPFA at the party leaders meeting opposed the move of the joint opposition to advance the date of next session of parliament. The joint opposition has claimed that it has the support of 114 parliamentarians in the 225-member parliament.

The joint opposition had failed to submit valid reason to advance the date of the next session of parliament. The Speaker has no authority to advance the date unless a request made by the Prime Minister, Mr.Jayaraj Fernandopulle said at the party leaders' meeting, the sources said.