United National Party Parliamentarian Wijedasa Rajapakse has stated that the new government under President Maithripala Sirisena was in discussion with the senior leaders of the United People's Freedom Alliance to obtain support for the government program.

Speaking to BBC Sandeshaya, he has stated that even though the government now has a minority in the parliament, it is not something totally new in Sri Lankan politics.

He added that the government is pushing forward a progressive program of reform which the UPFA Members of Parliament will not find easy to oppose. Rajapakse has added that if the parliamentarians oppose reforms which the people want, those parliamentarians will be rejected by the people in the future.

Rajapakse has also said that the government was hoping to act as a national government, obtaining the support of the majority of the parliament by introducing progressive reforms, rules and regulations.

He has added that the government was willing to work with the existing parliament until April. However, if the new Prime Minister and the Cabinet of Ministers do not get the required confidence in the parliament, the government will have to dissolve the parliament and call for an election, Rajapakse has said.

Meanwhile, it has been reported that a considerable number of UPFA MPs will support the government on January 19 when the parliament is convened on January 19. The UPFA has already pledged its support to the 100 day program.