The Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) won a No Confidence Motion (NCM) against two UNP ruling party members of the Kolonnawa Urban Council by a majority of six votes on Friday (July 2) after a lapse of 64 years.
Earlier, the two UNP Council members were arrested and released on bail on charges of stealing a machine installed at a store in Meetotamulla of the Paddy Marketing Board. The case is pending in Court.
On the directive of Kolonnawa SLPP Chief Organiser and Deputy Chairman of the Kolonnawa Development Committee, Ajith Rohana Subasinghe, Opposition Leader Saliya Wickramasinghe and other SLPP members of the Kolonnawa Urban Council moved the NCM against two UNP members and won it by a comfortable majority.
A significant feature was that five UNP ruling party members and the JVP member voted in favour of the SLPP sponsored NCM while three SLFP members abstained from voting. Only five UNP members voted against the motion, Kolonnawa, SLPP Chief Organiser Subasinghe told the Sunday Observer yesterday.
He said they have already informed SLPP General Secretary MP Sagara Kariyawasam and SLPP National Organiser Basil Rajapaksa regarding this. “I hope the party will inform the Commissioner and the Governor and initiate legal action.”
Subasinghe said, “When an NCM is defeated by the ruling party, it looks like a loss of confidence among its members. Therefore, I called upon the Kolonnawa Urban Council Chairman to resign as the Council had become unpopular among the people and its own members.”
He said, “We hope to take control of the Kolonnawa Urban Council and turn it into an efficient institution to serve the people.”
Subasinghe said at present the Kolonnawa Urban Council is under the control of the UNP and the SLPP is the main Opposition. Complaints have been made on numerous fraudulent acts and corrupt activities committed by some UNP members of the Council.
“The SLPP as the main Opposition will not remain silent and we hope to raise these matters in the future for strong action. “Therefore, I gave guidelines to five SLPP members of the Council to move a NCM against these two errant UNP members. The notable feature was five UNP members and the JVP member extended their support to the NCM. This shows a large number of UNP members are also against the frauds and malpractices taking place in the Council,” he said.
Subasinghe said winning the NCM against the UNP is a clear reflection of the divisions among the UNP members. Only five UNP members voted against the NCM but the main Opposition SLPP could secure 11 votes in favour of the motion. The Opposition won an NCM against the ruling party of the Kolonnawa Urban Council after a lapse of 64 years, he said.