The PM severely reprimanded the two ministers at the UNP parliamentary group meeting on the evening of August 23.

Dissanayake has said on the 20th that he would resign over Karunanayake’s having decided that the treasury would take over the Tea Board fund.

This, and Karunanayke’s response to his threat, had caused the premier to lose his cool.

When questioned by the PM, Karunanayake has blamed Dissanayake for having created the problem, and said he had only responded to him.

When Dissanayake tried to defend himself, the situation led to a heated argument.

The PM intervened and strongly advised both to respect discipline of the party.

Meanwhile, the Plantation Industries Ministry is yet to receive a written request to handover around 50 million dollars in the Tea Board fund to the Finance Ministry, reports say.

The president had asked Dissanayake to meet him on August 22 to discuss the issue, but that meeting had not taken place.