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Move
for Kumaratunga to continue
Though the manifesto will not specifically say so, key advisers to President Kumaratunga told The SundayTimes that an "all embracing" reference will be made in the document that is scheduled to be released by March 10. They said that the wording in the draft-version of the manifesto says "Viyawasthawa Wenaskerimata anumethiya labagenime Janawarama" - meaning a 'mandate of approval to change the constitution' The Alliance hopes to consider such a mandate as public approval to introduce a new constitution, The Sunday Times learns. Constitutional experts from France and India have already been consulted by the President to draft a new constitution which would provide for a return to a Westminster-style parliamentary democracy with a powerful legislature rather than a powerful executive Presidency. The consultations with these foreign advisers have also revolved around the vexed issue of the two-thirds majority of Parliament that is required to amend the constitution or to introduce a new constitution. The plan of introducing a new constitution replacing the 1978 constitution has been drawn up by the UPFA and the alliance hopes to put into action within six months to one year, in the event of a victory at the April 2 parliamentary election. As part of the plan to enable President Kumaratunga to return to Parliament, arrangements had been made to reserve one of the National List seats for the President by naming a person who would later resign enabling Ms. Kumaratunga to enter Parliament. According to these sources, the move to include Mervyn Silva's wife Ms. J.A. Mary Lucida on the National List was part of this plan for Ms. Kumaratunga to come in. Ms. Silva with no political background had been named on the National List, while her husband, who is the chief SLFP organiser for Colombo Central, is contesting from the Colombo District. However, the plan to get Ms. Silva to step down has suffered a setback now due to a mishap in excluding former Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayake from the National List (See separate story). This would require Ms. Silva to step down in favour of Mr. Wickramanayake, they say. The proposed move by the UPFA is to frustrate any moves for Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to become the country's next President, and ensure that President Kumaratunga remains in active politics after her second-term of office ends next year, though the President has indicated she can stay till end of 2006. These sources pointed out that the fact that President Kumaratunga had not named a Prime Ministerial candidate for the forthcoming election was relevant to this issue, though in 2000, she had asked her ailing mother Sirima Bandaranaike to step down as Prime Minister so that the PA could announce Ratnasiri Wickramanayake as her Prime Ministerial candidate. President Kumaratunga who has won the Presidential elections on two occasions cannot contest the next Presidential election under the present constitution. Meanwhile, under the third MoU signed between the SLFP and JVP, the two sides have agreed to appoint a monitoring committee regarding nominations and appointments of public officials. The committee comprising representatives of the UPFA will evaluate the names for nomination for public positions. |
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