The power-balance in the Southern Provincial Council is likely to be disturbed by the allies of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who are threatening retaliatory measures against the appointment of a new Minister.

HW Gunasena was appointed yesterday to replace DV Upul, who held several ministerial portfolios including fisheries.

However, the pro-Rajapaksa faction in the UPFA are threatening to defeat the expenditure head of Gunasena's Ministry at the next budget vote.

The UPFA won 33 seats at the 2013 Southern Provincial Election and the UNP won 14. The JVP has 5 seats while the Democratic Party won 3. The support of 28 councilors is needed for a majority.

By now, one Democratic Party councilor has defected to the UPFA and the other two have joined the UNP.

The pro-Rajapaksa faction says that it has the support of 26 councilors of the UPFA. The other faction disputes this claim and say that the Rajapaksa allies have the support of only 22 councilors. However, it is unlikely that they will obtain the support of the UNP to defeat the budget expenditure head as they have threatened. Therefore, the JVP's support has become important for the planned defeat of the expenditure head of Gunasena's ministry.

In 2015, Western Provincial Minister Nishantha Sri Warnasinghe had to resign following the defeat of the expenditure head of his ministry.