Minor constituent parties not given due recognition: Tissa Vitharana

By Shantha Chandrasiri  

Leader of the Lanka Sama Samaja Party and Parliamentarian Tissa Vitharana said the present government had not given due recognition to the minor constituent parties as they received when Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa was president.  

He told the media after a ceremony in Agarapathana yesterday that he had held a cabinet portfolio under former President Mahinda Rajapaksa who always consulted the constituent parties in case of major issues and respected their views.  

“During the time of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, a meeting of the constituent parties of the government was held once a week. He consulted their views on the government’s programmes. We used to put forward our suggestions and the president included them in his programmes. However, the present government has never held any meeting to consult the views of the constituent parties. 

The country is facing several serious issues including the decline of the economy and the people are burdened with the cost of living, It is sad we are not afforded the opportunity to make our suggestions and proposals regarding these major issues” he said.  

 He further said the gas supplying companies should be held responsible for the ongoing gas cylinder explosions but the government had failed to do so.