Over 40 government MPs become independent

A total of 42 lawmakers representing several political parties including the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) and the Ceylon Workers’ Congress (CWC) have decided to function as independent Members of Parliament.

MP Anura Priyadarshana Yapa announced that the following ruling party parliamentarians will now remain independent in the House:

1. Anura Priyadarshana Yapa
2. John Seneviratne
3. Susil Premajayantha
4. Chandima Weerakkody
5. Nalin Fernando
6. Nimal Lanza
7. Sudarshini Fernandopulle
8. Priyankara Jayaratne
9. Jayantha Herath

Meanwhile, MP Wimal Weerawansa stated that 16 other parliamentarians representing 10 political parties, including himself would represent the parliament independently in the House.

1. Wimal Weerawansa
2. Udaya Gammanpila
3. Vasudeva Nanayakkara
4. Tissa Vitharana
5. Tiran Alles
6. Ven. Athuraliye Rathana Thera
7. Gevindu Kumaratunga
8. Weerasumana Weerasinghe
9. Asanka Navaratne
10. Mohamed Mussammil
11. Nimal Piyatissa
12. Gamini Waleboda
13. A.L.M. Athaullah
14. Gayashan Nawananda
15. Jayantha Samaraweera
16. Uddika Premaratna

Former President and SLFP Chairman Maithripala Sirisena stated that 14 lawmakers of the party have decided to quit the government and sit independently in the House.

1. Maithripala Sirisena
2. Nimal Siripala de Silva
3. Mahinda Amaraweera
4. Dayasiri Jayasekara
5. Duminda Dissanayake
6. Lasantha Alagiyawanna
7. Ranjith Siyambalapitiya
8. Jagath Pushpakumara
9. Shan Wijayalal de Silva
10. Shantha Bandara
11. Dushmantha Mithrapala
12. Suren Raghavan
13. Angajan Ramanathan
14. Sampath Dassanayake

In addition, MP S. M. M. Muszhaaraff of All Ceylon Makkal Congress (ACMC) and two parliamentarians of the Ceylon Workers Congress - namely MP Jeevan Thondaman and MP Marudapandi Rameshwaran - have also become independent in the House.