United National party (UNP) Chairman Malik Samarawikrama confirmed that both the UNP and SLFP agreed to form a national government after several rounds of lengthy discussions, a short while ago.

The new Cabinet to be sworn-in next Wednesday, September 02, Samarawickrema told.

Accordingly there will be 45 members in the cabinet of the national government. The UNP and SLFP will respectively hold 30 and 15 ministerial portfolios, the reports said.

Earlier it was reported that the new ministers were expected to be sworn in on Tuesday (25). However, it was delayed, reportedly due to the deadlock on the ministries to be given to SLFP MPs.