This comes after president Maithripala Sirisena’s statement that SLFP MPs wanting to join the national government will be permitted to do so, while the others can be in the opposition.

The president last night (23) met the SLFP MP-elects, and told them that they were free to criticize government activities policy-wise, but without expecting petty political gains.

Dullas Alahapperuma, Namal Rajapaksa and Prasanna Ranatunga said they would sit in the opposition.

An SLFP MP would be made the opposition leader, they said.