by Zacki Jabbar
President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe have agreed to work with the EPDP and CWC, but not given any assurances with regard to portfolios.
Leader of the EPDP Douglas Devananda told The Island yesterday that he had met both the President and Prime Minister recently and expressed a willingness to be part of the National Government. “They welcomed my offer and said that they would work with me and the EPDP, but did not make any commitment to giving me a ministerial post.”
Asked if he had discussed the subject of devolution Devananda replied in the negative, adding that right along he had called for the full implementation of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution.
Government sources said that Sirisena and Wickremesinghe had given CWC Leader Arumugam Thondam, who announced last week that he too wanted to be part of the National Government, the same reply as Devananda.
However, the sources did not rule out the possibility of Devananda and Thondaman being appointed ministers today along with UNP Chairman Malik Samarawickrema and two other SLFP MPs bringing the total number of ministers to 48, which is the maximum authorised by Parliament.
About 45 state and deputy ministers are also to be appointed today with the greater number being from the UNP-led United National Front.