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UPFA
launches ‘Ops 113’ to woo MPs President Chandrika Kumaratunga rejected the many CWC demands -- almost all connected with posts and positions -- describing them as the plantation-based party's "shopping list". In a significant compromise between the SLFP and the JVP, the JVP has agreed to drop its earlier demand that the cabinet be limited to 35 ministers, now saying that the cabinet could be expanded to a larger number together with more deputy ministers, provided they are offered to members of the opposition whom the UPFA is planning to attract. The Sunday Times learns that the JVP which vehemently objected to the expansion of the cabinet, and to moves to win over the minority parties, the CWC and the SLMC, on a matter of principle, has now agreed to the move on the grounds that offering new portfolios would be on the basis of forming a stable government by getting at least the 113 MPs on the government side. Minister Mangala Samaraweera heads 'Ops 113' to secure the 113 MPs before the next Parliamentary session on Tuesday. This new committee includes deputy minister Sripathi Sooriyarachchi who survived what appeared to be an assassination bid yesterday, and MPs Mahindananda Aluthgamage, Lasantha Alagiyawanne and Wimal Weerawansa of the JVP. Mr. Weerawansa has been inducted into this team to keep the JVP informed of developments that are taking place in this exercise. The committee is now finalising negotiations with opposition MPs who, they expect, would join before the Parliamentary sessions on Tuesday with offers of cabinet portfolios and deputy ministries, in the event the negotiations are successful. One of the SLMC MPs, Hussain Bhaila, has already crossed while three 'rebel' SLMC MPs are likely to follow. Despite these cross-overs, the UPFA Government will still be short of one MP to hit the 113-mark. The understanding between the SLFP and the JVP has been that there will be no more cabinet appointments made from constituent parties of the UPFA. Accordingly, the portfolio of media will be assigned to an existing member while parliamentarian Mervyn Silva, who was expected to be appointed a deputy minister will be deprived of such a post. The move to appoint the committee came after President Kumaratunga rejected a three-paged document containing demands by the CWC. The CWC demands were brought by former Chairman of Land Reclamation Board M. Manimutthu, but was negotiated between Minister Samaraweera and CWC MP Faizer Mustapha. Subsequently, Senior Presidential advisor Mano Tittawella had taken the proposals to President Kumaratunga, but, the President had rejected them saying the conditions were not acceptable. "We cannot be forced into submission like this, and it is better to sit in the opposition than be doing politics like this," she had told UPFA members. The CWC conditions included the demand of two ministries, one is the Ministry of Civil Aviation and the other, the Ministry of Housing, Urban Development, Public Utilities and Infrastructure. To accommodate this demand alone, four existing ministers - Dinesh Gunawardena, Ferial Ashraff, C.B. Ratnayake and Mangala Samaraweera -- would have their portfolios stripped. The CWC 'shopping list' included names of persons to be appointed as chairmen and diplomats overseas, including CWC leader Arumugam Thondaman's former ministry secretary Mahinda Ilapperuma as High Commissioner to Canada. The CWC last night down played the reports of the President rejecting its demands. "It can change at anytime, but for the moment the bargaining chapter with the government is closed," CWC Parliamentarian R. Yogarajan said. He said the talks which were to be held on Wednesday were cancelled because the UPFA rejected the CWC's three demands that the executive presidency and the PR system be maintained and that the controversial Upper Kotmale project be cancelled. |
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