A group of Sri Lanka Freedom Party ministers have made a written request from President Maithripala Sirisena to take a decision on resigning from their ministerial portfolios.

Former UPFA MP Thilanga Sumathipala disclosed this a short while ago at a press conference at SLFP headquarters at Darley Road, Colombo.

In their letter, the SLFP ministers have pointed out that the reputation of the party is at stake if ministers started resigning individually. The party Central Committee should take a collective decision on the matter, the letter also mentioned.

The ministers have also pointed out that their objective is not to form a coalition government or a national government. Their intention is to form a Sri Lanka Freedom Party government, the ministers have said.

Good relations with India will be a cornerstone of the foreign policy of the Sri Lankan government if the United Peoples' Freedom Alliance (UPFA) forms one after winning the August 17 parliamentary elections.

This was stated by Dr.Dayan Jayatilleka, the foreign policy adviser to the UPFA at a meeting with the Foreign Correspondents' Association here on Wednesday.

The UPFA ,whose candidate in the January 8 Presidential election, Mahinda Rajapaksa, was defeated by the Joint Opposition Candidate, Maithripala Sirisena, has "learnt its lessons", Jayatilleka said.

"The foreign policy of the UPFA will be a series of concentric circles, the closest circle being the immediate neighborhood. Specific mention has been made about India in the foreign policy segment of the UPFA manifesto. Good relations with India is axiomatic. Good relations with India will be a corner stone of the UPFA's foreign policy," he stressed.

On relations with other countries, he said: "The first circle in the series of concentric circles will be South Asia; the second will be Asia; the third will be Euro-Asia, the fourth will be the Global South and finally the world."

Asked about concerns in India and the US about China's overwhelming presence in the economy of Sri Lanka thanks to the Rajapaksa regime, Jayatilleka said that Sri Lanka will cultivate relations with China, India and other countries depending upon the economic need.

(The New Indian Express)

President Maithripala Sirisena dealt a serious blow at former President Mahinda Rajapaksa's 'dream' of becoming Prime Minister, saying that if the SLFP wins the upcoming general election, he will have enough senior SLFP members to be appointed as Prime Minister.

Making a special statement this evening, Sirisena said that he was strongly opposed to giving nominations to Rajapaksa and is still opposed to it. However, he said that he agreed so that the party unity is preserved. "My opposition to Mahinda Rajapaksa stands" he said.

He also said that Rajapaksa is trying to prevent others from becoming Prime Minister.

Sirisea said that he wanted a parliament which will take forward the principles of the January 8 mandate, irrespective of the party.

 Minister of Health and Indigenous Medicine and the Cabinet Spokesperson Rajitha Senaratne on Thursday (25) said that the parliament would not be dissolve without enacting 20th amendment to the constitution which includes electoral reforms.

Addressing a press briefing Senaratne stated that certain politicians were calculating the benefits they can gain by criticizing the ‘good governance’ government.

“Everyone was for the 19th amendment because the president’s powers were reduced. Everyone sprung and came forward to support the 19th amendment like heroes to curtail the powers of the president. But when it comes to curtailing their own powers, they start making the calculations” he stressed.

The Minister also told that the president was in a firm decision about 20th amendment to the constitution as he promised in 100 day programme.

“So we are not dissolving the parliament without enacting it” he added.

Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna General Secretary Tilvin Silva slammed the government for appointing four deputy ministers while saying that the parliament will be dissolved in the coming weeks.

Speaking at a press conference this morning, Silva accused the government of acting similarly to the former government of Mahinda Rajapaksa. He pointed out that the number of ministers, State Ministers and Deputy Ministers has now reached 82. This has been done without any proper plan, he alleged.

President Maithripala Sirisena has meanwhile appointed new Senior Advisors, Silva added, saying that the whole process was now becoming a joke.

Sirisena appointed four SLFP MPs as deputy ministers last evening.

President Maithripala Sirisena said that the parliament will be dissolved after the appointment of the Constitutional Council and a new parliament will be elected by September.

He made this observation at a meeting with media heads a short while ago.

The Government had earlier said that the parliament will be dissolved after the approval of the 20th Amendment. However, the president recently indicated that he will dissolve parliament, even without the passing of the 20th Amendment, if the political parties cannot agree to a consensus on the amendment.

Sri Lankan Foreign Ministry said that no Sri Lankan was hurt in the earthquake which rocked Nepal a short while ago.

The Foreign Ministry said that all Sri Lankans were evacuated after the severe earthquake which hit the country on April 25.

The Foreign Ministry further stated that it was able to get in touch with the Embassy in Nepal. All embassy staff and the sole remaining Sri Lankan in the country are safe, the Ministry said.

The embassy building suffered minor damage due to the earthquake, the Foreign Ministry said further.