The UNP officially stated that it would support President Maithripala Sirisena's Expenditure Head in Parliament. 

UNP Chairman Kabir Hashim and General Secretary Akila Viraj Kariyawasam confirmed that the UNP would not vote against the President's Expenditure Head. 

However, the party's backbenchers have threatened vote it down in Parliament in protest of President Sirisena's constant action to undermine the UNP and its leadership. 

Despite the assurances by several party seniors, backbenchers have not retracted their threats thus far, indicating that they are not in agreement with the party's official position on the matter. 

The SLFP parliamentary group has unanimously decided to support the President's Expenditure Head. They abstained from voting at the second reading of the budget last evening.