Talks between Rajapakse and Wickremesinghe to be abandoned

[TamilNet, Friday, 06 August 2010, 12:55 GMT]
The future of talks between the ruling United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) led by Sri Lanka’s President Mahinda Rajapakse and the main opposition United National Party (UNP) led by Leader of the Opposition Ranil Wickremesinghe is bleak, according to Jayawickrema Perera, a senior UNP parliamentarian and the Chairman of UNP. Commenting on the cross over of opposition parliamentarians Praba Ganeasan and Digambaram he said that further talks between the two leaders are to be abandoned.

Jayawickrema Perera said that Mahinda Rajapakse had violated the assurance given to Ranil Wickremesinghe during the first round of talks held between them over the question of constitutional reforms that he would not encourage cross over from opposition ranks to the government side.

He added that there was no point in continuing the talks with the government and has recommended to his party leadership to abandon talks in future with Mahinda Rajapakse.

Digambaram was elected as a UNP member of parliament in the last general election and Praba Ganeasan won contesting as a Democratic People's Front (DPF) candidate. He is the younger brother of Mano Ganeasan, the leader of the DPF.

Mano Ganeasan had lost his seat in the last general election contesting the Kandy district.