Elephant walk today

by Ananth Palakidnar and Jayantha Sri Nissanka

The eighteen-member United National Party dissidents will join the Government today and sign a fresh agreement.

All eighteen MPs will get Ministerial appointments. "We are joining the Government and not crossing over. The fresh agreement to be signed today with the People's Alliance Government is aimed at strengthening the co-existence between the UNP dissidents and the Government. They will support the ruling party in all its efforts focused towards the development of the country, "the spokesperson of the UNP group joining the Government, Dr. Rajitha Senaratne said.

The signing of the fresh agreement in addition to the existing Memorandum of Understanding between the ruling party and the opposition will take place at Temple Trees today at 10 a.m. and the event would be telecast live on Rupavahini, according to Dr. Rajitha Senaratne.

With the joining of the UNP group, President Rajapaksa is expected to reshuffle his Cabinet of Ministers for the first time after assuming office as President in November 2005. "The idea behind mooting the fresh agreement is to maintain good working relations between the Government and the UNP group in order to deal with the crucial national issues. Though the UNP group renders their support to the Government they would remain as the UNP Parliamentary group. All initiatives taken with regard to the development activities by the Government will be supported by us in the best interests of the country, Dr. Senaratne added.

He said apart from the eighteen-member UNP group who would be entering an agreement with the Government today, more UNPers were expected to join hands with the government before the end of this week. "Support on finding a political settlement to the crisis in the North and East will also be extended to the Government by us led by Karu Jayasuriya", Dr. Senaratne said. Earlier, the individual cross over of the UNP stalwarts Ministers Keheliya Rambukwela and Mahinda Samarasinghe took place in the early part of last year soon after President Mahinda Rajapaksa took office.

The second stage of more UNP members joining the Government is expected to take place in a couple of weeks according to Dr. Senaratne.

Meanwhile, the UNP led by Ranil Wickremesinghe will oppose the group which will become Ministers today to operate as an alternative UNP group in Parliament, General Secretary Tissa Attanayake told the Sunday Observer.

The UNP has already made arrangements to take disciplinary action against those who will join the Government today.

Attanayake said once the group take oaths without the Working Committee approval, they will be called to explain. Dharmadasa Banda a senior member of the group confirmed that 15 members will definitely join the Government and few more MPs were still considering.

MP Bandula Gunawardane said that many more MPs were considering to join the Government ranks and the next batch will join the Government soon.

After losing 15 senior UNP members (confirmed) of the UNP, the party is planning to work with the JVP, TNA and JHU as a united force in Parliament and outside, sources close to the UNP leader said.