UNP MPs cross over speculation rife in Colombo

[TamilNet, Monday, 19 June 2006, 20:58 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Parliament is scheduled to meet Tuesday morning amid speculation in political circles about the cross over to the government rank by a group of parliamentarian of the main opposition United National Party (UNP). However the UNP officials denied such cross over, political sources said.

Colombo media reports state that a group of ten UNP parliamentarians who are said to be dissatisfied with the current leadership of the party are to cross over the government ranks when the parliament resumes its sittings Tuesday morning.

Mr.M.H.Mohamed, a senior parliamentarian is said to lead the dissident UNP group and is likely to be offered an important ministerial portfolio in the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government, media reports said.

However, media quoted one of the dissident parliamentarians, Mr.Navin Dissanayake, as denying that such cross over was imminent.