Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva said that he regrets the decision by Jathika Hela Urumaya to leave the government adding that it did not have enough reasons to leave.

Speaking at a UPFA Press Conference yesterday, he added that the government had agreed to implement the constitutional amendments proposed by the JHU after the election.

He added that the JHU was a party which added considerable strength to the government.

The JHU had put forward a 35 point set of proposals on constitutional amendments and the JHU and the SLFP had prolonged discussion on them. However, after the SLFP gave its final decision in writing, the JHU decided to distance itself from the government. Former Cabinet Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka and Former Provincial Minister Udaya Gammanpila resigned from the ministerial posts on November 18.

Days after this event, de Silva had told a local newspaper that he cannot comment on the resignation of the JHU ministers and the newspaper should ask the question from the President.

On December 2, the JHU publicly stated that it was supporting the common candidate Maithripala Sirisena.