No plans to impeach the President - JVP

Colombo (News 1st) - The members of Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna held a media briefing today after the Parliamentary session. The leader of the JVP Anura Kumara Dissanayake stated that the first signal that this government does not have the majority was given when the motion to suspend standing orders was approved in parliament. He stated that when the no-confidence motion was submitted it could have been taken up for voting but when the motion came before the house members of the Government started to panic. He noted that they did not ask for a vote. He then stated that when this occurred Mahinda Rajapaksa got up and left the chamber and that he spoke to Anura Kumara and told him that he was leaving. MP Anura Kumara stated that MR must have thought that it would be better for them to lose when he was not present in the chamber and that he left in a dignified manner than seeing it unfold in front of him. He went on to state that this was the most vulnerable and helpless position that he has seen Mahinda Rajapaksa in politically. Dissanayake believes that MR should resign from his position if he has any dignity left. The JVP leader also stated that the people should not suffer due to a grudge between the President and Ranil Wickremesinghe. He went on to state that the President now has the duty to appoint a Prime Minister and a new cabinet. Anura Kumara went on to state that even if Parliament is dissolved once the Supreme Court delivers its verdict, the decisions taken in Parliament today and tomorrow will be valid as they were done in a legal manner. He clarified that it was the no-confidence against Mahinda and his cabinet of Ministers that was approved in Parliament today and not the majority for Ranil to be the Prime Minister. He stated that if anybody raises concerns as to whether this decision is viable, they should ask themselves whether the previous situation was better and viable. When a journalist questioned Anura Kumara Dissanayake on whether an impeachment of the President is on the agenda, he stated that President Maithripala has done a lot of things that would entitle him to be impeached but added that they have no plans in place as of now. MP Anura Kumara noted that whether an impeachment is in the pipeline will be decided on how the President makes his decisions from now on.  He also stated that a 2/3 majority is required in parliament to dissolve it adding that they stand ready to support it.