The United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) decided to vote against the budget during the second reading vote today. 

A spokesman of the party said the UPFA group supporting President Maithripala Sirisena arrived at the decision a short while ago.

The second reading vote of the budget will take place in Parliament later today.  

However, UPFA MP Shantha Bandara, a supporter of President Sirisena, said the UPFA group had unanimously decided to vote for the President's Expenditure Head. 

A group of UNP backbenchers have already threatened to vote down the President's Expenditure Head in Parliament. 

The move, however, has not elicited a positive response from UNP senior holding cabinet, state and deputy ministerial positions.