International   

Budget vote worries Rajapaksa regime

COLOMBO: Amid uncertainty on the fate of the 2008 budget proposals, scheduled to be voted in Parliament on Tuesday, Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa completed two years in office.

The managers of the Rajapaksa regime appear to be nervous on the eve of the budget vote following speculation of possible desertions from the ruling Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and charges of threats and inducements to the opposition members by the government to vote in favour of the budget.

The Rajapaksa government has a majority of five members in the 225-member Parliament because of support from 23 dissident MPs of the main opposition, the United National Party (UNP) and smaller parties. Losing the budget could spell doom to the government, though it would not affect the position of the President as he is directly elected.

Under the Sri Lanka Constitution, losing the budget vote the first time does not lead to the immediate collapse of the government. It would have the opportunity to come forward with an alternative budget and a second defeat would lead to dismissal of the government.

“Separately, the LTTE in a statement, alleged that police protection to all the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Members of Parliament from Batticaloa district, was removed on Sunday by the Sri Lanka police.

The statement said that Norwegian Ambassador Tore Hattrem and the Head of Mission of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission, Lars Solveberg, were contacted by S. Puleedevan, secretary general of the LTTE Peace Secretariat, to warn them of the threats to the lives of the Tamil MPs.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Budget vote worries Rajapaksa regime
Kosovo leader threatens to declare independence
China backs ASEAN on Myanmar
“Attack on Iran will double oil prices”
Barred television channels hopeful of solution
Jemima leads protest against Musharraf
80 killed in Shia-Sunni clashes
Lashes for rape victim
Thomas Bata honoured

Copyright © 2007, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu