UNP Badulla District Parliamentarian Vadivel Suresh mas met newly sworn-in Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa this morning and has pledged support to him in Parliament. 

Rajapaksa's media unit confirmed the meeting and released a picture taken this morning. 

Sources close to Rajapaksa's said with Suresh's defection, the former President has the support of 100 MPs in the House. However, he is still short of 13 Parliament to show a simple majority in Parliament. 

UNP MP Ananda Aluthgamage has already joined the SLFP and SLPP alliance while State Minister Wasantha Senanayake has issued a statement supporting the President's decision to appoint Rajapaksa as the Prime Minister.