UNP General Secretary Tissa Attanayake confirmed that the party was holding discussions with several Parliamentarians of the ruling party for a possible crossover.

Speaking to ‘Asian Mirror’, UNP General Secretary said several stalwarts of the ruling party have expressed willingness to join the United National Party.

“Even the Cabinet ministers are dissatisfied with the present state of affairs in the country. With the outcome of the Uva Provincial Council election they realized that the UNP was the only option. They will extend their support to the UNP at the right moment,” the General Secretary added.

However, the government has flatly denied crossover claims saying no one in the ruling party would want to jump into a sinking ship.

Speaking to Asian Mirror last week, Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa said he was certain that the UNP had no chance of winning the upcoming elections and that the government would secure a resounding victory.

“I do not know whether there were any discussions between UPFA Parliamentarians and the UNP, but what I know is that none of the ruling party members wanted to lose the forthcoming elections," he added.

Media reports claimed last week that Senior Minister Piyasena Gamage, Education Services Minister Duminda Dissanayake, Parliamentarian Prof. Rajiva Wijesinghe, Mirigama SLFP Organizer Vasantha Senanayake and Minister of State Management Reforms Navin Dissanayake were preparing for a crossover ahead of the presidential election.