Gammanpila says Govt. should stick to its mandate, vows to continue struggle from within

Among those eleven political party leaders who want to ‘put the Government back on track” are two Cabinet Ministers, one of them an official spokesperson.

They met at the Sri Lanka Freedom party (SLFP) headquarters at Darley Road last week under the chairmanship of Former President Maithripala Sirisena to discuss the issues.

Now they are to meet Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa tomorrow and place their wishes. The two are National Freedom Front Leader Wimal Weerwansa and Pivithuru Hela Urumaya Leader Udaya Gammanpila.

Mr Gammanpila, who articulates government policy at regular news briefings, complains that “there is frustration and disappointment among the 6.9 million voters”, pointing out that “We are duty bound to struggle within the government,” he says. “Our struggle is to take collective action.”

Asked by the Sunday Times why they had, together with the SLFP, chosen to take up cudgels against the Government, Mr. Gammanpila, the computer engineer turned Energy Minister, replied “We just have one slogan for our struggle. The Government should stick to the mandate it received from the people.” He charged that the Government should not have introduced the 20th Amendment to the Constitution in it is current form though he was one of those who voted for it in Parliament.

"No steps have been taken to implement the slogan one-country-one-law through the pledge was made one and half years ago,” lamented Mr Gammanpila. His remarks, however, underscored a dividing line that has begun to run through the ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Nidahas Sandanaya (SLPNS).

In the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), the detractors of this newly emerging group say their “struggle” was triggered by factors other than politics but an effort to drive a wedge would fail.

Mr. Gammanpila declared that “Minister Wimal Weerawansa and I made a written pledge on July 18 that we will act as an opposition within the Government.”

Here are some highlights of the Q&A Mr Gammanpila gave the Sunday Times:

Meeting Former President Maithripala Sirisena:

“The host for those meetings changes time to time. The SLFP was the host for the last meeting. That was why we went to the SLFP headquarters.”

The main issues affecting the people:

“The burden issue is the cost of living; we strongly believe the Government should directly intervene to control market forces.”

Why have you not placed your grievances before President Gotabaya Rajapaksa?

“These issues have been discussed with the President at the cabinet as well as at party leaders' meetings. That is why the President took corrective actions in the form of the 20th Amendment and in the decision to cancel the East Container Terminal (ECT) deal.”

No steps have been taken to implement the slogan onecountry-one-law through the pledge was made one and half years ago,” lamented Mr Gammanpila. His remarks, however, underscored a dividing line that has begun to run through the ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Nidahas Sandanaya (SLPNS).