The sixteen SLFP Ministers and MPs who voted in favour of the no-confidence motion against the Prime Minister will step down from their posts in the National Government from midnight today (11). 

President Maithripala Sirisena, in his capacity as the leader of the SLFP, has given permission for the 16 party members to resign from their posts, MP Thilanga Sumathipala said. 

However, he added that 16 MPs will continue to work under the leadership of the President. 

The SLFPers who voted against the PM include Susil Premajayantha, Dayasiri Jayasekara, Dilan Perera, John Seneviratne, Lakshman Wasantha Perera, Dr.Sudarshani Fernandopulle, Tharanath Basnayake, Susantha Punchinilame, Anura Yapa, S B Dissanayake, Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena, Chandima Weerakkody, Anuradha Jayaratne, T.B Ekanayake and Sumedha Jayasena. 

The Central Committee of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) convened a special meeting today to take several crucial decision regarding the party’s future win the unity government and also the request by 16 MPs to relinquish their posts in the government. 

A group of SLFP members voting in favor of the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe while some abstaining from voting had stirred up a crisis within the government.

A no-confidence motion against the members who voted in favor had been brought up by several United National Party (UNP) backbenchers, but was later withdrawn on the PM’s instructions.

UNP has informed the President that they cannot continue to work together with the members who had voted in favor of the no-confidence motion.

Meanwhile the ministers of the SLFP also boycotted the Cabinet meeting held yesterday (10).

Earlier today, co-cabinet spokesman Minister Rajitha Senaratne said that a new Cabinet will be sworn in within the next two days after the SLFP Central Committee reaches its decision.