Five ruling party parliamentarians including three ministers are presently holding discussions with the main opposition party for a possible cross over ahead of the next national level election, highly placed political sources told Asian Mirror.

The group of Ministers include 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, sources also added.

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A UNP spokesperson who wished to remain anonymous told Asian Mirror that some of them had expressed willingness to cross the aisle of the Parliament at any moment as they were disappointed with the present state of affairs in the country.

It has also been revealed that some of these ruling party members have also held discussions with former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga on their political future.

They had also expressed disappointment with the manner in which they have been treated by the top echelons of the present government.

Meanwhile the UNP has set up a 20 member committee to handle operations pertaining to the next Presidential Election.

This group has been named as G-20 and comprised of UNP National Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, Deputy Leader Sajith Premadasa, and all members of the UNP Leadership Council and a few others including Harin Fernando and Parliamentarian Palitha Range Bandara.

They have met twice already and the next meeting is scheduled for tomorrow.