Co-Cabinet Spokesman and Energy Minister Udaya Gammanpila said that the party leaders of the SLPP led Government should frequently meet the President and the Prime Minister to assess the political situation and discuss the measures to be taken to face the political challenges.
“Ten political parties representing the Government met President Gotabaya Rajapaksa at the Presidential Secretariat on Friday and urged him to get involved in political affairs in addition to the administrative affairs and the President agreed to our request,” the Minister told the Sunday Observer yesterday.
The Minister said they decided to hold a Party Leaders’ meeting with the participation of the President and the Prime Minister frequently in the future.
“We are a democratic coalition. Exchanging views openly without restrictions shows the healthiness of our broad coalition. Since the Opposition has never enjoyed democracy within their coalitions, they can’t understand this, he said.
Gammanpila said, “We want to ensure the forward march of the Government. That is why we are struggling in the Government.”
Following the meeting with President Rajapaksa on Friday, Industries Minister Wimal Weerawansa told the media that the President assured his intervention as the country’s leader to preserve harmony among political parties in the Government while guiding the country forward.
He said the discussion with the President was successful. “He accepted most of our views. The President expressed willingness to hold a meeting with political parties representing the Government once every two or three weeks,” Gammanpila said.
The President also committed for leadership intervention in taking the Government forward while maintaining unity and continuing discussions with the Government’s constituent parties, he said.