JVP support of the Government on budget voting

(November, 19, [2.30 am] Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) Sources close to the People's Liberations Front better known as Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) said, the Party has taken the final decision to vote in favour of the budget tomorrow. The decision is said to be made at their central committee meeting held in Baththaaramulla late last night extending to early hours of today ( 19.Nov).

Our sources did not reveal the reasons for supporting the government.

The vote for the 3rd budget of Mahinda Rajapakse government is scheduled to take place tomorrow at 6.00 p.m. This is considered crucial for the government’s survival.

According government sources 118 members are expected vote for the budget while 68 will vote against it. After tireless jockeying for the past few days the government is said to be in an advantages situation.

The opposition, on numerous occasions, had indicated that they could muster more than 16 government MPs if the JVP decided to vote against the budget. According to reports from the parliament sources, the opposition UNP parliamentarians have seriously attempted to get the support of the JVP to vote against. As all 37 members of the JVP act as a single team, the opposition or even the government could not influence them. Despite this development the UNP is insisting that it has the strength to defeat the budget tomorrow.

According to Tamil sources, TNA parliamentarians have been ordered by Tiger leader Velupillai Prabakaran to vote against the budget. According to his instructions, all TNA parliamentarians who were abroad have returned to the country.

JHU states it has no conflict with the content of the budget. The government expects the MPs of SLMC and CWC to vote with the government.

All Parliamentarians who support the budget were expected to meet today with the President and the group of UNP parliamentarians too is expected to meet the opposition leader tonight.

The government says the budget 2008 is a constructive budget which would develop the national economy. However, the opposition accuses that the budget doesn't give any benefits to the people. One of the main accusations against the budget is that it has introduced several taxes that will bring further misery for the people.

The debate on the budget so far was not restricted to its content only. MP’s went on to discuss about the survival of the government. Some viewed even the government will be dissolved before the budget.