UNP expels rebel MPs

[TamilNet, Monday, 08 November 1999, 09:05 GMT]
The Central Working Committee of the main opposition party, the United National Party (UNP), has expelled the five rebel parliamentarians who joined the ruling Peoples' Alliance (PA) recently, UNP sources said today.

A decision to this effect was taken at the meeting of the central working committee held today at the party headquarters " Sri Kotha". Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe, President of the UNP and the Leader of the Opposition presided the meeting the sources said.

The names of the expelled parliamentarians, according to the UNP sources are:


1. Sarath Amunugama (Kandy district)
2. Susil Munasinghe (Colombo district)
3. Nanda Mathew (Ratnapura district)
4. Wijepala Mendis (Gampaha district )
5. Chula Bandara (Kurunagala district)

The Central Working Committee of the UNP has also decided to meet the Commissioner of Elections in regard to the question of removing them from the parliament.

Those members of the provincial councils and local authorities who joined the ruling People's Alliance with the rebel MPs were too expelled from the party, the sources added.