SLPP, UNP marriage on the rocks after Cabinet reshuffle

The marriage between the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) and the United National Party (UNP) is on the rocks after President Ranil Wickremesighe went ahead with a mini-Cabinet reshuffle.

SLPP General Secretary Sagara Kariyawasam told reporters the SLPP did not agree with the Cabinet reshuffle, which included removing Keheliya Rambukwella from the Health Minister post and appointing him as the Minister of Environment.

Rambukwella was replaced despite defeating a no-confidence motion against him in Parliament recently.

Kariyawasam said the allegations against Rambukwella are false and so there was no justification to replace him.

There had been indications earlier that the SLPP and the UNP are likely to form a grand alliance ahead of the next elections.

Colombo Gazette reported last month that talks to form a grand alliance were at the initial stages and included attempting to agree on a common policy and framework on governing the country.

UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe is expected to contest the Presidential elections next year. It is still not clear what role SLPP Leader Mahinda Rajapaksa will play in the event Wickremesinghe does contest.

The popularity of the SLPP dropped during the economic crisis and the ‘Aragalaya’ protests.

During the crisis the SLPP was forced to back the appointment of Wickremesinghe as Prime Minister and later President. (Colombo Gazette)