State Minister Ranjan Ramanayake said he would remain an independent MP in Parliament if the UNP decided to expel him from the party.

Ramanayake found himself at the centre of a controversy when he expressed critical remarks about the conduct of Buddhist monks in Sri Lanka.

Ramanayake's remarks forced Prime Minster Ranil Wickremesinghe to condemn the conduct of his own party MP and appoint a committee to probe his conduct.

The committee is headed by senior Cabinet Minister Thilak Marapana and Ramanayake has been asked to give a statement to the committee.

Ramanayake, speaking to the media, added that he could exercise his freedom of expression in a more effective manner as an independent MP.