President, JVP in special meeting

by Uditha Kumarasinghe

President Mahinda Rajapakse yesterday met his main alliance partner the JVP for a special discussion on the current situation in the North along with several other issues.

The discussions chaired by President Rajapakse commenced at 8.00 a.m. and went on for nearly three hours at Temple Trees, JVP sources told the Daily News yesterday.

Ministers Maitripala Sirisena, Mangala Samaraweera, Jeyaraj Fernandopulle, Sripathi Suriyaarachchi and former PA Deputy Minister Dullas Allahapperuma attended the discussion representing the SLFP.

Leader Somawansa Amarasinghe, General Secretary Tilvin Silva and MPs Wimal Weerawansa and Anura Kumara Dissanayake represented the JVP. The discussions which proceeded in a cordial atmosphere mainly focused on the situation in the North, the budget and several urgent bills.

The JVP representatives told the President that they were satisfied with his budget to be presented in Parliament tomorrow which is mainly based on his vision outlined in Mahinda Chintana.

The JVP highlighted that President Rajapakse's new budget had introduced a number of key measures to accelerate development.

The two parties have also agreed to select the urgent bills to be implemented and hold immediate discuss in connection with them.

The two sides also agreed to hold further talks on key issues.