Sept 27, Anuradhapura: A group of local government members of Sri Lanka's North Central Province said yesterday that they will back any political decision the former Chief Minister Berty Premalal Dissanayaka takes in future.

They said at a press briefing held in Anuradhapura yesterday that they would work with the present Chief Minister S.M. Ranjith only in cases pertaining to the local administration but still they would consider Dissanayaka as their political leader of Anuradhapura district.

Around 70 local government members participated in the meeting held yesterday but they said that 120 of the 154 local government members of the district would support Dissanayaka.

The local government members threatened to resign from their posts if Dissanayake was not re-appointed as the Chief Minister.

S.M. Ranjith passed Dissanayaka in the number of preferential votes and he was given the Chief Minister position whilst Dissanayaka, who has been the Chief Minister in the Province since 1999, was sworn- in as an ordinary councilor without any ministerial portfolio after a bitter contest for the position.

Dissanayake meanwhile, said that the 120 ruling party council members who have earlier expressed their willingness to resign supporting him have been asked to withdraw their affidavits.

According to Dissanayake, he had asked them to withdraw their affidavits since it would be an injustice to allow them to resign as they are young with a political path ahead of them.

The former CM has reportedly turned down an offer to appoint him to parliament through the National list.