The government has taken a commanding lead in Parliament with another UNP National List MP Vadivel Puththirasigamoney joining the Rajapaksa administration as the Deputy Justice and Law Reforms close on the heels of Reggie Ranatunga replacing dissident Sripathy Sooriyarachchi’s vacancy.

The government has now secured 115 seats. Government sources said that they could also count on the support of one time JVP heavyweight Nandana Gunatilleke and JHU’s Ven. Uduwe Dhammaloka.

Just ahead of the vote on the third reading of the Budget last December, the government lost altogether six MPs, four representing the SLMC and two SLFP in Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe and Anura Bandaranaike. Since then Bandaranaike has switched sides again. The sources said Rajapakshe despite being on the opposition wouldn’t vote against the government.

Puththirasigamoney said that he was a CWC member appointed to Parliament through the UNP National List. He said that he was ready and willing to work with other CWC members in the government. "I have been in active politics for 25 years," he told The Island, expressing confidence that he could work with the CWC.

Puththirasigamoney had functioned as an independent MP before he accepted the President’s invitation to accept a portfolio.

Political sources said with the latest crossover all eleven UNP National List MPs except K.N. Choksy had joined the government. Among them was M. M. M. Musthaffa, Deputy Minister of Higher Education who replaced Ali Zaheer Moulana on June 29, 2004 after the UNP called for his resignation over his alleged link with Karuna.