JO didn’t ask to meet President, was invited – Lokuge

UPFA Parliamentarian Gamini Lokuge says that the Joint Opposition (JO) never request for an opportunity for a discussion with the President at any time, and that they only met with President Sirisena following Minister Susil Premajayantha’s invitation for talks.

 Speaking at a JO press briefing in Colombo today (21), he said that if the President wants to establish an SLFP government, then the Joint Opposition will assist that. 

He stated that even though the President had said, even before the election, that the United National Party (UNP) will be removed and a government led by the SLFP established, he has now changed that idea. 

However, he stated that if Mahinda Rajapaksa is invited to take over as Prime Minister, they will show how to establish a government and how to obtain 114 seats in Parliament. 

UPFA MP Ranjith de Soysa, who also spoke during the media briefing, said that 11 days have passed since the local government election ended and that the country is in a state of anarchy due to the lack of a government.