Ranil to shoot down 20A if …
By Ajith Alahakoon-June 21, 2015, 10:34 pm
Prime Minister and UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday vowed to vote against the 20th Amendment to the Constitution if it was a threat to minor parties and paved the way for a two-party system, according to JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake.
Dissanayake told The Island soon after attending a meeting Prime Minister Wickremesinghe had with minor and minority parties at Temple Trees that they had vehemently opposed the proposed 20th Amendment.
Leader of the SLMC Minister Rauf Hakeem, TNA Leader R. Sampanthan and M. A. Sumanthiran MP, ACMA Leader Minister Rishad Bathiudeen MP, Western People’s Front Leader Mano Ganeshan MP, JVP’s trade union wing leader former MP K.D. Lalkantha and he had represented the minor parties, the JVP Leader said.
UNP Minister Kabir Hashim had been present with the Prime Minister, Dissanayake said.
The JVP leader said that he and all others had pointed out that the reforming electoral system as envisaged by the provisions of the 20th Amendment would do away with the multi-party system and pave the way for a two-party system. "We pointed out to the Prime Minister that such a situation would deprive the smaller parties of parliament representation. We also informed him that the enactment of 20th Amendment in its present form was a danger to democracy."
"Hence, we requested the PM to withdraw the proposed 20th Amendment."
Prime Minister Wickremesinghe promised to look into the matter and pledged to vote against and defeat the 20th amendment if it posed a threat to the smaller parties and democracy, the JVP leader said.
Prime Minister and UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday vowed to vote against the 20th Amendment to the Constitution if it was a threat to minor parties and paved the way for a two-party system, according to JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake.