Sri Lankan President Orders Dissolution of ParliamentSri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga has decided to dissolve Parliament on Wednesday prior to a a crucial vote for a no-confidence motion against her ruling People's Alliance (PA) government, officials said.The decision was made at a meeting of all government MPs on Wednesday and Kumaratunga must now call new elections within the next three months. Earlier on the day eight more MPs of PA party crossed over to the opposition after a MP joined the opposition on Tuesday. Livestock Development Minister Arumugam Thondaman also resigned on Wednesday. The resignation of Thondaman, also leader of the Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC), came shortly after eight PA government MPs crossed over to the opposition. Despite of 10 seats of the leftist JVP or People's Liberation Front, the government has been in minority again in the Parliament. The government lost its majority in Parliament following the withdrawal of main Muslim Congress party in June. The JVP has promised to support the government within one year period under the agreement signed by the two sides early last month. Kumaratunga suspended parliament for two months in July ahead of an earlier no-confidence vote submitted by the main opposition United National Party to avoid an almost certain defeat following the withdrawal of the Muslim Congress party. Kumaratunga is empowered under the constitution to dissolve parliament and call for a fresh election at the earliest date on Wednesday, exactly one year after the last general election which took place on October 10 last year. Kumaratunga's decision to dissolve the one-year parliament is to avoid humiliating defeat in the voting of no-confidence motion against her government in Parliament scheduled on Thursday. |
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