COLOMBO: The fragile coalition that comprises of President Mahinda Rajapakse’s alliance government is facing an imminent split with two former ministers announcing the formation of a new political party.
Former Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera and former Minister Sripathi Sooriyarachchi stripped of their ministerial portfolios by President Rajapakse several months ago, stunned the government on Tuesday by crossing over to the opposition benches in parliament as a mark of protest against what they termed as ‘extremist policies’ of the government.
Shortly after, the duo who were stalwart members of the main constituent of the government, the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) announced the formation of a new party, the Sri Lanka Freedom Party- (Mahajana Wing).
The party will be launched at 10am on Friday, a spokesman for the two former ministers said stating that the launching ceremony will be at the hometown of S.W. R.D. Bandaranaike, the founder of the SLFP and the late father of former President Chandrika Kumaratunga.
Mr Samaraweera who worked hard to bring President Rajapakse to power in the November 2005 presidential election, said the aim of the new party would be to keep up the policies of the founding fathers of the SLFP.
Meanwhile, analysts say the move by these two powerful and influential men in the Rajapsake government will cause further problems for President Rajapakse who is under fire by the international community for growing human rights abuses in the country.
The fragile coalition that Rajapakse managed to put together to get the majority in the legislature, including members of a political party of Tamils from the plantations sector as well as the leading Muslim political party now seems shaky. Both the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) and the (Ceylon Workers Congress) had expressed anger at the recent government decision to evict Tamil civilians living in lodges in Colombo. The government later officially apologized for the move.
The Marxist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) which supported President Rajapakse’s election in a vigorous campaign have now distanced themselves from many of his polices and have threatened to revolt against the rising prices of consumer items.
In this background, observers say Samaraweera and Sooriyarachi would attempt to woo away those unhappy with President Rajapakse.
The first to congratulate Mangala Samaraweeera for his move to defect the government was head of the Tamil National Alliance, R. Sampanthan followed by the Marxist JVP Parliamentary Group Leader Wimal Weerawansa.
Political sources say several SLFP members close to Mr Rajapakse had been dispatched to make a last minute bid to patch up the differences between the president and his two former ministers.
Aides of the renegades however claim that there would be no chance of reconciliation and that Samaraweera and Sooriyarachchi would ‘welcome’ other ministers from the government who want to join them.