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PA to put up Ferial Ashraff for Dy.Speakership today
Roy Mendis in Colombo,
9.20 AM SLT Tuesday Jan.8,2002.
After a heated debate on its stand vis-a-vis the United National Front
(UNF) government,the opposition Peoples' Alliance (PA) on monday decided to
put up Mrs.Ferial Ashraff of the National Unity Alliance (NUA) as its
candidate for the Deputy Speakership of parliament.
A top PA source said that initially,the alliance's parliamentary group had
decided to reject the UNF's offer of the post,as a mark of protest against
the indiscriminate arrest of over 600 party cadres and local leaders after
the elections.But by evening,when tempers cooled,the decision was reversed.
Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) leaders were keen on nominating an SLFPer to
train him for the Speakership.And the name of Anura Yapa was suggested.But
eventually,as a compromise measure,it was decided that Mrs.Ashraff,a non
SLFPer,should be put up.
It had been learnt that in the absence of a PA candidate,the UNF might put
forward a member of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) led by Mr.Rauf
Hakeem to give the parliamentary heirarchy a multi-ethnic character.Now, if
the PA were to nominate Mrs.Ashraff,the UNF should have no objection
because she is too is a Muslim and a member of the opposition to boot.
PA's chief, President Chandrika Kumaratunga,who was against taking the
Deputy Speakership was told that it would be foolish to let the post go out
of the PA's hands.It was pointed out that if the PA did not put up a
candidate,the UNF would walkaway with it, given its majority in the house.
Published: Mon Jan 7 22:43:43 EST 2002
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