While President Maithripala Sirisena is on a desperate mission to win over the support of the Joint Opposition to become their Common Candidate at the next election, UPFA Parliamentarian Ranjith de Zoya categorically stated that their party would never trust Sirisena again. 

Addressing a press briefing yesterday, the Parliamentarian said the President had breached the trust of his party multiple times. 

"He first deceived us when he got our support to pass the 19th Amendment to the constitution. He promised that the 20th Amendment would follow in three months. Although over three years have elapsed, the promised 20th Amendment is still not in the picture," he explained. 

The Parliamentarian also said, "The President then promised to revoke the gazette notification on the Police Financial Crimes Investigations Division. He said he knew nothing about the formation of the unit and promised to revoke it right away. Despite the promise, the unit is still functioning." 

"He also scuttled the election campaign of the UPFA by making a vituperative statement targeting Mahinda Rajapaksa and suddenly removing the General Secretaries of the UPFA and the SLFP. When the President made those moves, he reneged on the promises given to us."

The Parliamentarian said the President also went back on his promises when he appointed R. Sampanthan as the opposition leader and sabotaged the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. 

"Therefore," he said, "we will never form a coalition with President Sirisena. That is also the opinion of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa."