Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) MPs who left the government and have now joined an alliance with the main opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) first approached the National People’s Power (NPP), its leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake said.
Speaking at an event in Gampaha on Thursday August 08, Dissanayake said the NPP said no to this group of legislators.
“The SLPP is now split to three factions: one is with President Ranil Wickremesinghe, another with MP Namal Rajapaksa and the other with opposition leader Sajith Premadasa. A lot of them knocked on our door before going to the SJB. What did we do? We said ‘ayubowan’ and told them that their record in not that good,” said Dissanayake.
The NPP leader claimed that the visiting MPs were told in no uncertain terms that they had represented a party accused of spreading racism and engaged in corruption, and were shown the door.
“Thanks for knocking on our door but we cannot let you in,” he quoted the NPP spokesmen as saying.
Dissanayake also mentioned the name of MP Nalaka Godahewa who is among the SLPP MPs who have declared their support for the presidential candidature of SJB leader Premadasa.
Dissanayake further said a future NPP government will bring in legislation to prevent members of parliament from crossing over.
“This politics of jumping from side to stop must be stopped one day. Only a movement that won’t embrace those who jump can stop it,” he said.
“We make one guarantee: this is the last time they jump. An NPP government will draft a law that will send them home if they cross over.
“This is what corrupted this country’s politics. They come into power and do anti-people things as they see fit, and fish out opposition MPs as they like. This is our biggest catastrophe,” he said.