SL government is strong, says Anura Bandaranaike

[TamilNet, Sunday, 18 March 2007, 20:48 GMT]
Mahinda Rajapakse's government is in a stronger position after the joining of United National Party (UNP) dissidents, and there is no question about the government's stability within the parliament, National Heritage minister Anura Bandaranaike, said Sunday in Kandy.

Minister Bandaranaike held discussions with the Malwatte chapter Mahanayake Ven. Thibatuwawe Sidartha Sri Sumangala Thero on issues related to National Heritage. During the discussions also the minister revealed that former Sri Lanka's President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunge will return to Sri Lanka next month.

Following the meeting with the Mahanayake, minister Bandaranaike briefed the media on his work plans on National Heritage.

Answering a question of a journalist on the stability of the government he said, "There is no problem in the government's stability. It is steady along with the 18 UNP MPs joining the government. Government should have 112 MPs in the parliament. But we have 120 now. So there is no issues related to assertive governance for the forseeable future."

Journalists were told to avoid fielding questions on political issues by an officer of the minister present during the press briefing.

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