(COLOMBO, LANKAPUVATH) –Former president and Kurunegala district parliamentarian Mahinda Rajapaksa appointed as the Opposition Leader of Sri Lanka Parliament.
When the parliament convened for the first time today after the UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe was reinstated as the Prime Minister, the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) nominated Mahinda Rajapaksa to the Opposition Leader post replacing Tamil National Alliance (TNA) leader R Sampanthan.
Since the UPFA has decided to sit in opposition, the UPFA becomes the largest party in opposition.
UNP MP Lakshman Kiriella and TNA MP M A Sumanthiran have raised legal points on Rajapaksa’s eligibility to continue as a MP in parliament since he resigned from UPFA, the party that he was elected from and became a member of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP).
However, the Speaker Karu Jayasuriya has recognized former President Mahinda Rajapaksa as the Leader of the Opposition.
UPFA Mahinda Amaraweera has been appointed as Chief Opposition Whip replacing JVP MPs Anura Dissanayake.
Meanwhile, UPFA parliamentarians Vijith Vijayamuni Soysa, Indika Bandaranayake and Lakshman Senevirathne have joined the government side in Parliament.
