There is suspicion within the government whether the MPs who vowed to defeat the expenditure heads of three ministries in the upcoming Budget, will support the vote of no confidence against Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella.
Several MPs were being vocal during the ruling party parliamentary group meeting held last week. It was chaired by Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena as the President was in Singapore.
At the meeting, a number of backbench MPs and state ministers had accused the ministers in charge of five key ministries.
They have levelled allegations against 12 ministers including five senior ministers.
MPs Madhura Withanage, Janaka Tissakuttiarachchi, Jayantha Katagoda, Upul Mahendra Rajapaksha, Samanpriya Herath, Sumith Udukumbura, Kumarasiri Ratnayake, Jagath Samarawickrama, Piyal Nishantha, Milan Jayathilaka and Geetha Kumarasinghe were among those who made accusations.
Accusing five ministries, they have vowed to defeat the head of expenditure of three ministries in the upcoming budget.
It is said that the backbench MPs have strongly accused a number of ministers of not giving jobs to even one person recommended by the MPs as requested, distributing land unfairly, giving priority to Opposition MPs over the ruling party MPs in admitting children to schools and not taking into account the proposals of the ruling party members when allocating funds for regional development projects.
Meanwhile, SLFP MP Dayasiri Jayasekara and another Opposition politician were accused of admitting children to schools with the blessing of the Ministry of Education.
Next no confidence motion against Nalin?
The MPs have also expressed displeasure over the behavior of Trade Minister Nalin Fernando.
They have alleged that Minister Fernando is enabling irregularities by following the instructions of his predecessors Nimal Lanza and Johnston Fernando.
Meanwhile, it was reported that the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) is planning to bring the next no confidence motion against Minister Nalin Fernando, who aggravated the issue of poultry products without lowering the tax on maize.
The frustrated MPs have suggested to the Prime Minister that all these issues should be discussed in a special meeting with the President.
Due to this situation, the President has prohibited the MPs from travelling overseas next week as the no-confidence motion against Minister Rambukwella is to be taken up in Parliament.
Related News :
President bans travel abroad for ministers & MPs