Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa requested United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) General Secretary Susil Premajayantha discuss with party members and decide on who should be appointed as Opposition Leader.

A document was handed over to Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa on Tuesday, with the signatures of 60 UPFA MPs, urging that Dinesh Gunawardena be named as Opposition Leader.

Rajapaksa said on Tuesday that he needs more time to study the matter since this was a special case.

The dispute began after SLFP accepted ministerial portfolios on March 22. A few days after the formation of the national government, Democratic Left Front leader Vasudeva Nanayakkara announced that he and several other MPs will propose the name of Mahajana Eksath Peramuna leader Dinesh Gunawardena as opposition leader. National Freedom Front leader Wimal Weerawansa later told media that 58 MPs have pledged their support for Gunawardena.

SLFP repeatedly argued that it could not see any reason why Opposition Leader Nimal Siripala de Silva cannot function in his position. However, opposition parties and some UPFA members continuously said that it was unethical for him to be Opposition Leader while the SLFP was in the government.