Siripala Says Him Continuing To Be The Opposition Leader Isn’t Unethical

March 23, 2015

SLFP MP Nimal Siripala de Silva says he doesn’t believe that his continuing to remain the Opposition leader is unethical and added he will be the Opposition Leader until the SLFP decides otherwise.

Siripala

Speaking at a media briefing today, Opposition Leader Nimal Siripala said he will remain in the position as the SLFP’s stature as the main opposition party has not been compromised despite a group of its MPs accepting ministerial posts and the party forming a national government with the UNP.

“The President has given us freedom to criticize any of the government policies and even our own SLFP MPs who have assumed duties as Ministers, if the necessity arises. Therefore, I don’t believe there is anything unethical about me being the Opposition leader,” he said.

He compared the present situation in parliament to when Minister Karu Jayasuriya who was then in the Opposition, along with a group of 17 UNP MPs extended their support to the UPFA government and assumed duties as Ministers.

“Did anyone question the position of the UNP as the main opposition party at that point? The present situation is very much the same,” he said.