Date:11/02/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/02/11/stories/2007021105721200.htm

International

SLFP to discuss ouster fallout

B. Muralidhar Reddy

COLOMBO: Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa summoned an emergency meeting of the working committee of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), main constituent of the United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA), on Saturday to take stock of the situation arising out of the Friday ouster of three senior Ministers.

The trio — Anura Bandaranaike, Mangala Samaraweera and Sripathi Sooriyarachchi — are expected to meet here on Sunday to decide their future course of action.

Mr. Rajapaksa, as president of the party, would have to decide on their status in the party. While Mr. Bandaranaike is a senior vice-president, Mr. Samaraweera is the treasurer.

By all counts, it would be an uphill task for the dissidents to mobile support within and outside the party against an all-powerful Executive President and leader of the party.

Dissolution of Parliament is Mr. Rajapaksa's trumpcard to discourage parliamentarians from rallying around them.

The term of Parliament ends in 2009 and no parliamentarian is in a mood for another election.

However, Mr. Samaraweera and Mr. Sooriyarachchi are strong leaders and were considered instrumental in the narrow victory of Mr. Rajapaksa in November 2005.