• 4-member Cabinet to not align with any other P’ment group; to consider Constitution pre-dissolution; pursuing options of Budget or vote on account for rest of 2024

Following the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna led National People’s Power (NPP) victory in the 2024 Presidential Election, the party announced that its immediate priority would be to have President-elect and Parliamentarian Anura Kumara Dissanayake take oaths and establish an interim caretaker government that will be responsible for overseeing the administration of the country until a General/Parliamentary Election can be held.

Speaking to The Daily Morning yesterday (22), NPP Executive Committee Member and former Parliamentarian Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa confirmed that a small four-Member Cabinet of Ministers will be appointed. This Cabinet will be comprised of Dissanayake and other NPP MPs (Vijitha Herath and Dr. Harini Amarasuriya), reflecting the mandate given by the public. He further clarified that this Government will be formed without aligning with any other Parliamentary groups. “Our primary focus is to uphold the mandate provided by the people. As such, we will establish a Cabinet with the President-elect and the NPP MPs only. This ensures that the Government reflects the voice of the electorate,” Dr. Jayatissa stated.

When questioned about the appointment of the Prime Minister in this interim Government, he noted that no decision had yet been made regarding Dr. Amarasuriya for the position at the moment. He indicated that the announcement of the Premiership would be made at a later stage. “No decision has been taken so far regarding Dr. Amarasuriya’s potential appointment as the Premier of the caretaker government,” he added.

Meanwhile, the Head of the NPP’s Economic Council, Professor Anil Jayantha provided insight into the party’s plans for the Parliament and the country’s financial management. He confirmed to The Daily Morning that the Parliament would not be dissolved immediately, as the NPP intends to consult the relevant constitutional provisions before making any decisions on dissolution. “Dissolving the Parliament will not occur right away. Our first priority is forming a caretaker government. Any decision to dissolve the Parliament will be taken after careful consideration of the constitutional guidelines,” Prof. Jayantha stated. 

He also elaborated on the NPP’s plans regarding the country’s Budget, indicating that the party is currently exploring options for either presenting a Budget or, if that is not feasible, implementing a vote on account to cover the next three months of Government expenditure. “We are assessing the possibility of presenting a Budget. Should this not be an option, we will introduce a vote on account to ensure that essential Government functions are covered for the next three months until the Parliament convenes following a future General Election,” Prof. Jayantha added.