UNP sources yesterday confirmed that they would definitely get 131 votes against the Joint Opposition’s (JO) No Confidence Motion (NCM) against Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to be moved in Parliament on April 4 and defeat it by a comfortable majority.
According to a UNP senior over 80 UNP MPs on Thursday signed a Confidence Motion supportive of the Prime Minister. In addition, nearly 15 UNP MPs who were overseas had also signed the motion upon their arrival.
“We would easily get 102 signatures in support of our motion. Even some of the constituent Party Leaders of the National Unity Government have also signed the Confidence Motion. A unanimous decision has been taken within the party to defeat the NCM against the Prime Minister. In addition, during a recent meeting with the Premier, all UNP members expressed their confidence in him,” he said.
He said 12 SLFP Ministers in the Government have also pledged their support to the Prime Minister, adding, “The JO is not in a position whatsoever to win this NCM and no UNP MP would ever support it irrespective of media speculations. The UNP in collaboration with the SLFP has formed this National Government. Except for a few SLFP Ministers in the Government, others would definitely defeat this NCM”.
The UNP front liner said the party hierarchy would discuss all reforms to be made within the party after the NCM and added that a series of reforms are to be made covering all key sectors of the party.