Colombo, Nov 18: President Chandrika Kumaratunga's political party today said it has formed an alliance with the country's powerful Marxist party, boosting the President's support in a standoff with the island's Prime Minister. Sri Lanka Freedom Party spokesman Sarath Amunugama told reporters the party has joined with the marxist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna Party.

The development could mean that Kumaratunga may soon call an election to end the standoff with Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, whose party holds a slim 2-seat majority in the 225-seat legislature.


The island's political crisis began when Kumaratunga on Nov. 4 sacked three cabinet ministers, suspended Parliament and briefly imposed emergency rule, accusing Wickremesinghe of threatening Sri Lanka's integrity by conceding too much to Tamil Tiger rebels.
Wickremesinghe is responsible for the day-to-day operation of government, but the island's Constitution gives Kumaratunga the power to dissolve the Parliament and order new elections.

The Sri Lanka Freedom Party and the JVP, the third-largest party in Parliament, together now control 92 seats in the legislature.

Though Kumaratunga has said she favours peace negotiations with the Tamil Tigers, the Marxist JVP is bitterly opposed to talks. The JVP is supported by radicals among Sri Lanka's majority Sinhalese, who make up 76 per cent of the island's 19 million people.
Bureau Report