Speaker Karu Jayasuriya has reversed his decision to name United National Front leader Ranil Wickremesinghe as the leader of the opposition after 57 Parliamentarians requested that United National Front Parliamentarian Sajith Premadasa be appointed as the leader of the opposition.
In a statement today the Speaker said that he had notified the Secretary of the UNP about the letter he received last evening, signed by 57 MPs requesting the recognition of MP Sajith Premadasa as the Opposition Leader.
The Speaker said that the difference of opinion must be settled through dialogue and communicated to the Speaker duly.
He said that once the final decision of the opposition is communicate to him he will announce who the leader of the opposition is at the next Parliament session.
Yesterday Speaker Karu Jayasuriya said he had recognized leader of the United National Front for Good Governance (UNFGG), Ranil Wickremesinghe, as the leader of the opposition in Parliament.
The Speaker, in a twitter post, said that the recognition of the Opposition Leader was done “upholding established Parliamentary traditions that should not be violated.”
He went on to say that the United National Party should resolve its internal disputes “from within.”
(Colombo Gazette)