The main opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), several of its MPs have reportedly taken 50 million rupees each from the government’s decentralized budget without the approval of the party leadership.
Although it is a tradition to allocate money to the opposition members for development activities in their constituencies, these activities did not happen in the past. Instead, financial allocations were made for the same purpose through district coordination committees.
But under the new system of providing public funds for President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s job creation activities, SJB MPs have taken this money from the government.
It is reported that Gayantha Karunathilaka, Dr. Harsha de Silva, Ajith Mannapperuma, Kavinda Jayawardene and J. C. Alavathuwala are among the SJB MPs who received money in this manner.
Commenting on this matter, SJB General Secretary Ranjith Madduma Bandara said that none of these MPs have obtained the approval of the party to receive government allocations. “We will raise this matter in the next parliamentary group meeting,” he said.