Tamil party might hold key as Lanka House to meet Nov. 14

Leader protests against no invite for Signature Bridge inauguration despite being MP from area

political crisis, as the minority ethnic community emerge as kingmakers in the power struggle.

Mr Sirisena had on Friday promised the parliamentary speaker that he would recall the Assembly on Wednesday. He shut Parliament a day after sacking Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on October 26 and appointing former president Mahinda Rajapaksa to the post.

However, Mr Wickremesinghe insisted he is still Prime Minister and demanded a vote in Parliament to prove his majority. The closure of the Assembly prevented a vote to decide who enjoyed the majority in the 225- member House.

According to latest counts, Mr Wickremesinghe has 103 MPs from the 225- seat Assembly while Mr Rajapaksa and Mr Sirisena have 101. Most of the remaining 21 MPs — including the TNA — are set to oppose Mr Rajapakse, observers said.

The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress ( SLMC) party, which has seven lawmakers, said its members had also rejected offers to join the Sirisena- Rajapaksa camp.

High drama prevailed on Sunday at the inauguration of Signature Bridge when Delhi BJP president and MP Manoj Tiwari and his supporters entered into a scuffle with AAP supporters and the Delhi police.

Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal termed the incident as “unprecedented.”

BJP supporters staged a protest for not being invited to the inaugural event of the newly built city landmark. Mr Tiwari and his supporters went to the venue of the inaugural function uninvited. Mr Kejriwal and his deputy were not present when the protest took place.

Reacting to the incident, Mr Kejriwal tweeted, “Unprecedented. Chaos by BJP at Signature Bridge inauguration site. It’s a Del govt prog. Police mute spectator. Can LG, being head of Del police, ensure peace and order at Signature Bridge inauguration site? ( sic)”

BJP, however, said that AAP leader Amanatullah Khan used abusive language and pushed Mr Tiwari. The latter had expressed displeasure over not being invited to the inaugural function and took a dig at the Kejriwal government, saying he will be present at the bridge to welcome the CM, who was scheduled to inaugurate the bridge on Sunday.

The bridge will be thrown open to the public on Monday.

Speaking to the media, Mr Tiwari said, “In my constituency ( Northeast Delhi), I re- started construction of the bridge after it was stalled for many years. Now Arvind Kejriwal is organising an inauguration ceremony. I’m here to welcome him ( Arvind Kejriwal). AAP and police have misbehaved with me. I wanted to say that it took 15 years instead of 3 and ` 1,500 crore instead of ` 265 crore to build the bridge.”

Reportedly, the Delhi government did not invite Manoj Tiwari and Kapil Mishra to the function.

Meanwhile, joint CP Ravinder Yadav ( eastern range) said, “Our staff on duty at the place of function performed their task with utmost restraint and diligence. The main function was held smoothly without any disturbance.”

Though there was slogan shouting, the police segregated the groups and did not allow any clash or violence to take place, he added.

— PTI A view of the newly- inaugurated Signature Bridge over the Yamuna river during a laser show at Wazirabad in New Delhi on Sunday. The bridge, India’s first asymmetrical cable- stayed bridge, will be opened to the public from Monday. High drama prevailed before the inauguration with Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari and his supporters protesting over not being invited to the inaugural event. They also had a “scuffle” with some AAP workers.

— BIPLAB BANERJEE Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari and his supporters in a scuffle with the police during the inauguration of the Signature Bridge at Wazirabad.