Newly sworn in MP Liyanage sits with the Opposition

Newly sworn in United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) Ratnapura district MP Waruna Liyanage crossed over to the Opposition in Parliament a short while ago. 

By Sandun Jayawardana

Newly sworn in United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) Ratnapura district MP Waruna Liyanage crossed over to the Opposition in Parliament a short while ago. 

Mr Liyanage took oaths earlier today to fill the seat left vacant by the demise of Ratnapura district UPFA MP Ranjith De Zoysa. 

Though he contested 2015 General Election from the UPFA, Mr Liyanage is currently the United National Party's (UNP) organizer for the Nivithigala electorate.

Making his inaugural address to Parliament soon after crossing over to sit with the Opposition, Mr Liyanage stated that he was forced to side with the UNP during the 2018 Constitutional crisis as he felt that then President Maithripala Sirisena was acting in violation of the Constitution.

He said he had no personal ill feelings towards Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa or his colleagues in the UPFA, but added that he would support newly recognized Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa and hopes to work to make him the country's future Prime Minister.