Apr 10, Colombo: Cabinet Ministers of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) have decided to boycott the Cabinet meeting that is scheduled to be held today.

The Central Committee of the SLFP has taken this decision at its meeting held Monday night under the patronage of President Maithripala Sirisena's at his official residence.

According to party sources, the SLFP ministers have decided to boycott the cabinet meeting to protest the United National Party (UNP) ministers disgracing the SLFP ministers.

The UNP members have said that the SLFP ministers who voted in favor of the No Confidence Motion against the Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe have no moral right to hold the cabinet ministerial portfolios in the unity government.

The SLFP ministers have decided to boycott the Cabinet meeting until a final decision on whether the SLFP will continue to remain in the coalition government is reached.

Accordingly, all SLFP Ministers who voted in favor of the No Confidence Motion along with those who abstained from voting will boycott today's Cabinet meeting.

At the Central Committee meeting held yesterday, Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa has proposed that the SLFP should withdraw from the National government. Minister S.B. Dissanayake has confirmed that.

It has been reported that Ministers Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, SB Dissanayake, Dayasiri Jayasekara, Dilan Perera, Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena and several others have firmly stated that the SLFP should withdraw from the National Government while the 16 Ministers who voted for the no-confidence motion against the Premier have submitted a report prepared by them to the Central Committee.

Expressing his views on the issue, President Maithripala Sirisena has stated that the Sri Lanka Freedom Party should not take a rush decision and all 41 ministers and parliamentarians of the party should take a unanimous decision.

A majority of the members of the Central Committee have stated that the SLFP should withdraw from the unity government.

It has been decided at the Central Committee meeting last night to convene tomorrow (11) to make an urgent decision about the SLFP ministers who voted for the no confidence motion and to decide whether the SLFP should stay in the unity government.