Irrigation Minister and Leader of the House Nimal Siripala de Silva said the SLFP rank and file was the main force behind forming the present government and not the coalition partners of the government.
Minister de Silva has said one should not undermine the contribution of traditional SLFP supporters as they were the main reason behind the election victory of President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
He has made this remark while commenting about the decision made by constituent parties of the government to distance themselves from the election campaign of the UPFA. Speaking to a weekend Sinhala newspaper the Minister has said the National Freedom Front and the Jathika Hela Urumaya are free to execute their will, where elections are concerned.
"Minister Weerawansa's party can contest alone for the Uva Provincial Council election. That is not a problem for the government. Although his party has decided to contest alone for the Provincial Council election, Weerawansa remains in the Cabinet as the Minister of Housing and Construction. Political parties make decisions of that nature and one should not consider this move as a surprise," the Minister has said.
However, Minister Weerawansa last week alleged that some seniors of the ruling party are not honouring the mutual agreement signed by the two parties before the formation of the common alliance. He cited that as the main reason for the National Freedom Front's decision to contest alone at the Uva Provincial Council election.
