National Freedom Front (NFF) Leader Wimal Weerawansa on Friday (04) stated that the party leader status is not essential to raise his voice against the injustices of the government.

Speaking to Asian Mirror he said that the voices of opposition could not be silenced by the decision of denying party leader status of constituent parties elected to Parliament through different alliances.

Weerawansa said that he did not expect such a decision from a Speaker such as Karu Jayasuriya.  Even when the JVP left the party from UPFA, the parliament granted the party leader status to the JVP. The Speaker could have done the same for the current situation, Weerawansa asserted.

Although the National Government always boasts about a ‘seven star democracy’ and ‘good governance’, its actions show that it has no interest towards protecting democracy in the country, he stressed.

A tense situation erupted in Parliament a short while ago as National Freedom Front leader Wimal Weerawansa opposed the appointment of R. Sampanthan as the Opposition Leader.

Addressing the Parliament, Weerawansa said that a request was made to President Maithripala Sirisena to name Kumara Welgama as the Opposition Leader.

A tense debate erupted following his announcement and the Speaker tried to control the situation, and asked Weerawansa to take his seat.

National Freedom Front leader Wimal Weerawansa said that the opposition leader of the Parliament should be chosen by MPs who sit in opposition and not the President.

Speaking to BBC Sandeshaya, Weerawansa said that the President is killing the country's democracy by appointing the Prime Minister, the Cabinet, the Opposition Leader and the Chief Organizer of the Opposition all by himself.

The Sri Lanka Freedom Party Central Committee permitted its elected MPs to sit in opposition if they do not wish to support the national government. However, reports later said that the SLFP Central Committee will take a decision on the Opposition Leader post.

Maithripala Sirisena wields considerable power within the SLFP CC as the party President.

Wimal Weerawansa said that it was not sufficient to allow SLFP MPs to sit in opposition. They should be free to act as they wish within the opposition, he said.