Ranil Wickremesinghe says that says that the Parliamentary majority is still with him and that requested that Parliament be convened immediately as it is not necessary to create a crisis and for the people to suffer.

“As the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, I have come here before you with the leaders of the constituent parties of the United National Front (UNF),” he said speaking at a press conference at Temple Trees on Saturday (27).

“As the largest party in parliament, I have become the Prime Minister.”

He stated that they have a national government with two other parties, namely the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) and the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA).

“The UPFA I saw has given notice that they were leaving the alliance, but that’s a matter now for parliament to decide the scope or the status of a national government which is established by parliament resolution,” he said.

But as far as the Prime Ministership is concerned, he said that the person who has the majority of support in parliament has to be the Prime Minister.

“I have that majority of support. Specially when a motion of no confidence was moved, we defeated it resoundingly showing that the house has confidence in me,” he emphasized.

Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka, SLMC leader Minister Rauff Hakeem, ACMC leader Minister Rishad Bathiudeen, Ministers Palani Digambaram, Mano Ganesan, Rajitha Senaratne, Akila Viraj Kariyawasam and Daya Gamage also participated in the press briefing.

“I’m here with the leaders of the United National Front to tell you that we are the majority in parliament,” Wickremesinghe said.

“It is not necessary for us to create a crisis. It is not necessary for the people of the country to suffer. We are all living in difficult times. Therefore let’s get this controversy out of the way.”

“Let the parliament decide who has the majority and the parliament represent you. It’s you who have elected this parliament and let that parliament decide who has the majority,” the UNP leader said.