JVP meets TNA: 20th amendment to be put to a public referendum

COLOMBO (News 1st) - A special party discussion was held between the JVP and the TNA this afternoon (March 11) at the Head Office of the JVP. The leader of the TNA, R. Sampanthan, M.A. Sumanthiran, Dharmalingam Siddharthan, K. Kodishwaran, Selvam Adeikalanathan, and Mavai S. Senathirajah were among those present at the meeting. Representing the JVP, its leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake, General Secretary Tilvin Silva and Politburo member K.D Lalkantha attended the meeting. While speaking to R. Sampanthan, JVP Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake explained that the party is in an agreement with Mahinda Rajapaksa to abolish the executive presidency. He said that they find the idea to focus on the election method and abolish executive presidency most suitable adding that they were also brought up in 2005 and 2010. In response to this TNA Leader R. Sampanthan questioned if Mahinda Rajapaksa agreed on the matter because he cannot contest once again. Anura Kumara Dissanayake said that the 20th amendment was presented to parliament on October 5th and that the matter can now be taken to a debate in parliament. He explained that since the Supreme Court has decided that 2/3rd majority in Parliament and a public referendum is necessary for the debate that they decided to meet with the party. The JVP leader added that the decision whether to approve the debate or not will be given over to the 15 million voting base in the country instead of vesting the matter with the 225 in parliament. The party leaders expressed their views to the media following the 45-minute long discussion which was not open to journalists. The TNA leader said that they had discussed on how the two main parties of the country should come together to keep the country moving in one direction and that this will be put into action in the near future. Also speaking to the media Anura Kumara Dissanayake said that if someone is trying to defeat the 20th amendment in Parliament that they are afraid of the people of this country. He added that the JVP and the TNA can come together and work for the betterment of the country in several fields and that they reached an agreement to operate in unison in those particular fields.