A People's Alliance (PA) coalition government, headed by Ratnasiri Wickremanayae, is likely to be sworn in Friday afternoon, official sources said. The PA has emerged as the single largest party bagging 107 seats in the 225-member cabinet. Two of its allies National Unity Alliance (NUA) of former minister A M H Asraff with four seats and Eelam Peoples Democratic Party (EPDP) of Douglas Devananda with five seats have already pledged support to the PA crossing the 113 mark for a majority needed to form a government. Raff Hakkem, leader of the NUA, on Friday said that he had a prolonged discussion Thursday night with Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga and then he put forth some conditions to join the government. It is, however, not immediately known whether the president has accepted all conditions of the NUA.

However, Hakeem expressed confidence that the PA could form a government. The president had already invited the PA on Thursday to form a government on the basis of the seats secured in the just-concluded parliamentary elections.
The United National Party (UNP), which secured 89 seats, came second and the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna emerged as the third force with ten seats. Uncertainity still prevails over the final decision of the NUA, which has put several conditions to join the coalition government and party sources said they were hopeful to be in the government.
Bureau Report