He made the announcement last night (23) at a meeting with SLFP MP-elects.

Meanwhile, there are diverging opinions in the media with regard to the cabinet, with analysts saying the UNP, without a clear parliamentary majority, will not be able to restrict it to 30 members.

The president will have to satisfy both the UNPers who were in the opposition for nearly two decades and the SLFPers joining a coalition government.

The JVP says it cannot approve of a cabinet that has more than 30 members even under a coalition government.

Its leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake says new MPs should not allow that limit to be exceeded.

Ministers of the UNP-SLFP national government are due to take oaths before the president tomorrow.