Colombo: Sri Lanka's opposition, which
united to put up a joint Presidential candidate, is yet to
decide on repeating the experience during the forthcoming
parliamentary elections due in April this year.
"We will take a decision on fighting the election
jointly after the parliamentary elections are announced," the
main opposition United National Party General Secretary Tissa
Attanayake told reporters today.
Attanayake said Fonseka would involve himself in
politics and was ready to face any challenge.
Meanwhile, the ruling United People Freedom Alliance
(UPFA) is gearing for the parliamentary polls.
According to sources, President Mahinda Rajapaksa is
likely to dissolve Parliament next month.
A senior minister and General Secretary of the ruling
Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), Maithripala Sirisena, said
preparation were already on for the parliamentary elections.
"We will appoint the nomination board this week and
call for applications from party members seeking nominations,"
Sirisena said.
He dismissed claims being made by some opposition
groups that the government was thinking of extending the term
of parliament by holding a referendum, the Daily Mirror
reported.
Sirisena said that more than anyone else, the
government was keen to dissolve Parliament.
The government needs a two-third majority and we are
going to achieve this with the assistance of all the
constituent parties and groups that support the UPFA
government, he said.
The government is keen to dissolve Parliament as early
as possible and go before the voter to obtain a strong
mandate, he added.
The government is ready to face the challenge
including that of finding a durable solution to the ethnic
issue and achieving speedy economic progress, the newspaper
quoted Sirisena as saying.
"The government expects to introduce a new
Constitution that fulfils the aspirations of all Sri Lankans
and to establish durable peace and harmony among all
communities.
"Political stability was essential in the country to
carry out the economic and political programmes of the
government during the next six years," he said.
PTI
First Published: Friday, January 29, 2010, 19:09