<b>President planning prorogation? </b>

Frederica Jansz - The Sunday Leader

President Chandrika Kumaratunga last week summoned an emergency meeting at President’s House at 7 p.m. with her most trusted confidantes and discussed the possibility of proroguing parliament next month.

Highly placed sources revealed that members of her ‘inner cabinet’ namely, Harim Peiris, Mangala Samaraweera, Dr. Sarath Amunugama, Lukshman Kadirgamar, Nimal Siripala De Silva, Tara De Mel and Maithripala Sirisena were part of this top secret meeting where proposals were put forward to divert attention from the present crisis situation Kumaratunga is facing.

One member, presently evolving as a key advisor to the president had at this meeting put forward three proposals. The first suggestion was for the president to sack Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on the basis that as head of cabinet she no longer has confidence in Wickremesinghe’s ability to govern.

The second proposal centered around the possibility of sacking Consumer Affairs Minister Ravi Karunanayake, thereby creating a constitutional crisis. The third suggestion is for Kumaratunga to appoint Deputy Leader of the United National Party, Karu Jayasuriya as prime minister after having sacked Wickremesinghe.

Kumaratunga together with these members of her inner cabinet, thereafter discussed the possibility of simulating a series of crisis situations over the next few weeks, which would then enable Kumaratunga to prorogue parliament on the basis that Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has lost control in government.

Last week, the brawl between opposition and government parliamentarians in the well of the House was the first step initiated towards this end.

There are also moves being made for the president to get rid of her long time Secretary, Kusumsiri Balapatabendi. The latter has fallen out of favour with Kumaratunga after he refused to sign a letter on her behalf in relation to the luxury vehicle controversy.

When The Sunday Leader contacted Harim Peiris he said he would neither deny nor confirm such a meeting took place.

-The Sunday Leader -