Colombo  (News1st) – Mahinda Rajapaksa was named as the Leader of the Opposition today by Speaker Karu Jayasuriya when Parliament convened this afternoon, Mahinda Amraweera was appointed as the Chief opposition whip.

Lakshman Kiriella was appointed as the leader of the house while Gayantha Karunathilaka was named as the Chief Government Whip.

The Speaker noted that as the largest group in the opposition the UPFA has been given the post of Opposition Leader and the UPFA group had nominated Mahinda Rajapaksa for the post.

However, TNA MP M.A. Sumanthiran raised objections against Rajapaksa being appointed to the post of  Opposition leader citing a number of reason including issues regarding the validity of parliamentary seats of MPs who joined the SLPP. The leader of the House Lakshman Kiriella and SLMC Leader Rauff Hakeem also expressed similar sentiments about the validity of certain UPFA parliamentary seats.

UPFA Members Chandima Weerakody, Susil Premajayantha, Udaya Gammanpila, and Dinesh Gunawardene made arguments opposing these views

As MP Chandima Weerakody was making his statement MPs Lakshman Seneviratne, Indika Bandaranayake, Wijith Wijayamuni Zoysa, and Piyasena Gamage crossed the well of the parliament and assumed seats on the Government side.

• Cabinet agrees to implement 13A – President
• Parliament to be prorogued from Friday (27); New Session on 8th February
• Speaker certifies Campaign Finance Bill, and Bureau of Rehabilitation Bill
• ‘My officials were threatened to sign’ – Kanchana on No-Power Cut agreement
• ‘Oldest and most complete’ mummy found in Cairo, Egypt