February 12, Colombo (LNW): Leader of the ‘Eksath Janaraja Peramuna’ and Member of Parliament, Patali Champika Ranawaka, took aim at Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa, accusing him of wasting time in Parliament and depriving other Opposition MPs of their speaking time.
Ranawaka expressed dissatisfaction, revealing that he was allotted only four or five minutes per week to address Parliament. He raised the issue with Chief Opposition Whip Lakshman Kiriella MP, who informed him that his speech during the debate on the President’s recent policy statement had been excluded on the orders of the Opposition Leader, citing his failure to walk out during the President’s speech.
Speaking at an event in Bandaragama, Ranawaka asserted his independence in Parliament, emphasizing that he has no affiliations with the main opposition. He declared himself a trendsetter rather than a follower, rejecting the notion of following leaders who stage walkouts.
Ranawaka also claimed that the opposition was responsible for him not being appointed as the chair of the Ways and Means committee again. In a final note, he highlighted his commitment to being a seasoned and independent figure in politics.
