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Sri Lanka's ruling party launches protest against opposition

Xinhua, March 15, 2016 Adjust font size:

Sri Lanka's ruling United National Party (UNP) held a protest here on Tuesday against the Joint Opposition which groups former president Mahinda Rajapakse.

Several parliamentarians and members of the UNP gathered at the Town Hall in Colombo and held a protest march.

Hundreds of UNP supporters also took part, voicing criticism against the Joint Opposition.

The Joint Opposition, which consists of opposition parliamentarians loyal to Rajapakse, says it will hold a series of protests this month against the united government of President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.

Sirisena defeated Rajapakse in a presidential election in January last year and in August, the United National Party led by Wickremesinghe won a parliamentary election.

In September, Sirisena's Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and Wickremesinghe's ruling UNP joined hands to form a united government.

However, members of the Joint Opposition blame the government for a high cost of living and a sluggish economy. Endit