UPFA MPs supporting former President Mahinda Rajapaksa today protested and disrupted the meeting of the Southern Provincial Council, forcing the session to be postponed to August 8.

These MPs attended the cpuncil session wearing black armbands in protest over the removal of D.V. Upul as a provincial Minister.

Upul was removed as provincial minister last week by President Maithripala Sirisena. H.W. Gunasena replaced him.

However, the pro-Rajapaksa faction of the UPFA in the provincial council has vowed to vote against Gunasena at the budget debate of the provincial council later in the year, to defeat the expenditure head of his ministry.

(Lalith Chaminda - Galle)