BASIL FIGHTS BACK TO SAVE HIS POLITICAL FUTURE AS RW PUSHES FOR 21A TODAY

• Other party leaders have already consented to the 21A but may propose some changes
• The committee that drafted the amendment will also  be present at the meeting today
• MEETING TODAY TO DISCUSS ON CHANGES 
• Condition in contention is those  with dual citizenship not being elIgible to enter Parliament
• reduction of president’s powers mAIN OBJECTIVE

By JAMILA HUSAIN  

In a move to push for the 21st amendment to be accepted by  the party leaders today, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe will lobby  for it at the party leaders’ meeting at 3.30 pm today in order to reduce  the powers of the President and also remove dual citizens from holding a  parliamentary seat, which in turn will end Basil Rajapaksa’s political  career in Sri Lanka.   

The party leaders who have already been given a draft of  the 21st amendment for them to study can raise any proposals or  objections on the clauses today so that a final draft can be prepared  and submitted at the next cabinet meeting.   

The committee that has drafted the 21st amendment will also  be present at the meeting today afternoon to note the changes that will  be proposed by the party leaders and incorporate them in the final  draft.  

The committee that has drafted the 21st amendment will also  be present at the meeting today afternoon to note the changes that will  be proposed by the party leaders and incorporate them in the final  draft.  The Daily Mirror learns that while SLPP Leader Mahinda  Rajapaksa may not attend the meeting, he will send a representative to  be present.   

However, despite Mahinda Rajapaksa being the SLPP Leader, it  is learnt that Basil Rajapaksa is the man now calling the shots among  the majority in the party and is lobbying against the 21A so that he can  save his political career in Sri Lanka. The SLPP is specifically trying  to leave out clauses such as the abolition of the dual citizenship as  well as the reduction of the President’s powers on Basil’s insistence  and is aiming not to pass it when it is presented before the Parliament.  

• SLPP is specifically trying  to leave out clauses such as the abolition of the dual citizenship as  well as the reduction of the President’s powers

Other party leaders have already consented to the 21A but may propose some changes. However, all other leaders are of the view  that the President’s powers must be reduced as a way of further  strengthening the Parliament as well as discontinuing dual citizens from  holding future parliamentary seats.  

Senior UNP sources have also requested law enforcement  authorities to probe as to who carried out a protest outside the Prime  Minister’s Office yesterday, as the Gota Go Gama protesters had said it  was not their protesters. UNP Seniors suspect and alleged that the SLPP  was now trying to create protests against the Prime Minister in a way to  pressure him against presenting the 21A.   

If the 21A is approved by the party leaders today, even  with the changes they propose, it will be presented to the cabinet  again. Once approved by the cabinet of ministers, it will then be  presented to Parliament for a vote.  
Prime Minister Wickremesinghe is already in discussions  with all party leaders to keep the two clauses on reducing the  President’s powers and the dual citizenship clause in order to minimise  the Rajapaksas representation in the government.