CMC makes history opens opposition office

by Dasun Edirisinghe

An opposition office opened in the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) complex yesterday for the first time in history with the presence of its opposition leader Milinda Moragoda.

At this simple ceremony, CMC members who were elected under the Independent Group 01 and 02 tickets extended their support to the opposition. The members are former UNP councilor Roy Bogahawatta and Ananda Hettiarachchi.

CMC UPFA member Madhu Madhawa Aravinda told The Island last night that now the CMC opposition has 22 members against UNP’s 24.

He said that four other members elected under the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) and Democratic Unity Alliance (DUA) had already expressed their interest to join the opposition.

"Even, if we exceed the number of government members, there is no provision to take over in the council power according to the local government act," Aravinda said adding however, the act would be amended as the government has the required two third majority in parliament.

At the recently concluded local government election of the CMC UNP won 24 seats and the main competitor UPFA bagged 16 seats while Democratic People’s Alliance of Mano Ganeshan won 6 seats, Sri Lanka Muslim Congress and Democratic Unity Alliance won 2 seats each. Independent Group 01 and 02 won two seats and the JVP won one seat.

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