De Silva said that he would continue to remain as the Opposition Leader since he did not believe the SLFP’s stature as the main opposition party had been compromised, although a group of MPs had accepted ministerial portfolios in the national unity government.

“The President has given us the complete freedom to criticize any of the government policies and even our own SLFP MPs who have assumed duties as Ministers, if the necessity arises. Therefore, the SLFP continues to be the main opposition party and I will remain the Opposition Leader unless the party calls for a change,” the Opposition Leader told the media.

De Silva further compared the current situation in Parliament to when Minister Karu Jayasuriya, who was then in the Opposition, along with a group of 17 UNP MPs extended their support to the UPFA government and assumed duties as Ministers.

“Did anyone question the position of the UNP as the main opposition party at that point? The present situation is very much the same- hence, there is no change in the SLFP position as the main Opposition,” he said.