Sri Lanka's main Tamil party TNA and Marxist party JVP on Monday held a rare meeting here and decided to work together towards abolishing the executive presidency in the country.

The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) and the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), which represented diagonally opposed political stands, came together during the political crisis in the island nation when President Maithripala Sirisena sacked Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.

The TNA and JVP put up a broad front to force Sirisena backtrack through court action. The Supreme Court's intervention made Sirisena to reinstate Wickremesinghe as the prime minister.

The meeting between the two parties on Monday came as part of JVP's consultations on the need to abolish presidency.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

The two parties held a discussion on the 20th Amendment to the Constitution which aimed at abolishing the executive presidency.

JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake told the media they discussed mustering support for the 20th amendment to the Constitution in Parliament and working in tandem on matters of mutual interest.&nbsp;

He said the JVP discussed with the TNA about a model to get all communities involved in governance.

He said the decision on the implementation of the proposed 20th amendment must be vested with the people.&nbsp;

"Those who attempt to defeat the amendment in Parliament are the ones who are afraid of the people,"&nbsp;Dissanayake said.

TNA leader R Sampanthan said they discussed how the two parties could work together for the country and the people. He said they briefed the JVP on matters recently discussed with the President and the Prime Minister on the devolution of power.&nbsp;

Both parties said their coming together was to preserve the island's Constitution and it was not an action in personal favour of Wickremesinghe.

"We have decided to work with the JVP for the betterment of the country. If we need to bring the main political parties onto the right track, the TNA and the JVP must work in unison in this regard," the veteran TNA leader said.&nbsp;

"We are open to working with the TNA based on equal participation," Dissanayake said.

The JVP in 2004 branded the TNA a proxy party of the LTTE who ran a bloody separatist campaign to carve out a separate Tamil homeland in the north and east regions of the country.

Dissanayake said the TNA was supportive of the idea to abolish the presidential system of government through the JVP's move to introduce an amendment to the Constitution.&nbsp;

The 20A seeks to abolish the executive presidency, the main feature in the existing 1978 Constitution.&nbsp;

The nationalist opposition led by the former President Mahinda Rajapaksa accuses the government of relying on the TNA's support for its survival.

Sri Lanka's main Tamil party TNA and Marxist party JVP on Monday held a rare meeting here and decided to work together towards abolishing the executive presidency in the country.

Sri Lanka's main Tamil party TNA and Marxist party JVP on Monday held a rare meeting here and decided to work together towards abolishing the executive presidency in the country. The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) and the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), which represented diagonally opposed political stands, came together during the political crisis in the island nation when President Maithripala Sirisena sacked Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. The TNA and JVP put up a broad front to force Sirisena backtrack through court action. The Supreme Court's intervention made Sirisena to reinstate Wickremesinghe as the prime minister. The meeting between the two parties on Monday came as part of JVP's consultations on the need to abolish presidency. The two parties held a discussion on the 20th Amendment to the Constitution which aimed at abolishing the executive presidency. JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake told the media they discussed mustering support for the 20th amendment to the Constitution in Parliament and working in tandem on matters of mutual interest. He said the JVP discussed with the TNA about a model to get all communities involved in governance. He said the decision on the implementation of the proposed 20th amendment must be vested with the people. "Those who attempt to defeat the amendment in Parliament are the ones who are afraid of the people," Dissanayake said. TNA leader R Sampanthan said they discussed how the two parties could work together for the country and the people. He said they briefed the JVP on matters recently discussed with the President and the Prime Minister on the devolution of power. Both parties said their coming together was to preserve the island's Constitution and it was not an action in personal favour of Wickremesinghe. "We have decided to work with the JVP for the betterment of the country. If we need to bring the main political parties onto the right track, the TNA and the JVP must work in unison in this regard," the veteran TNA leader said. "We are open to working with the TNA based on equal participation," Dissanayake said. The JVP in 2004 branded the TNA a proxy party of the LTTE who ran a bloody separatist campaign to carve out a separate Tamil homeland in the north and east regions of the country. Dissanayake said the TNA was supportive of the idea to abolish the presidential system of government through the JVP's move to introduce an amendment to the Constitution. The 20A seeks to abolish the executive presidency, the main feature in the existing 1978 Constitution. The nationalist opposition led by the former President Mahinda Rajapaksa accuses the government of relying on the TNA's support for its survival.

Sri Lanka's Tamil party TNA, JVP pledge to work together to abolish executive presidency

Sri Lanka's communist party JVP Saturday said the time was right to bring in the 20th amendment to the Constitution to abolish the all-powerful executive presidential system of governance.

The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), the main mover of the motion seeking to abolish of the presidency, held a series of discussions with the main opposition leader and Sri Lanka's former President Mahinda Rajapaksa to seek his support to bring in the 20th amendment to abolish the executive presidency.

"He (Rajapaksa) was for the idea of abolishing it," senior JVP leader Bimal Ratnayake said.

He claimed that all current leaders Rajapaksa, Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe were afraid of facing another presidential election.

"All of them know they can't win it. So they all will support it," Ratnayake said.

He said it was an opportune time to abolish the executive presidency which has been in existence since 1978.

Rajapaksa, who is constitutionally barred from contesting again to become president, has supported the proposal. His supporters, however, have expressed public opposition to abolishing the presidency.

They want Rajapaksa's brother Gotabaya to contest it as Rajapaksa will be constitutionally barred from running for president again.

Ratnayake said both Sirisena and Wickremesinghe want to dodge holding the provincial elections which have fallen due.

"If we can adopt 20th amendment then there will be no need to hold another presidential election. A parliamentary election can be held thereafter," he said.

The Sinhala-majority political parties, however, will face stiff resistance from the minority Muslim and Tamil parties for abolishing the presidency.

Sri Lanka Muslim Congress leader Rauff Hakeem said his party would strongly object to abolishing the presidency.

"When the whole country is considered as one electorate to elect a president, the minority vote will become important, so we will be politically valued. That is why we would not allow JVP to change it," Hakeem said.

Since the introduction of the presidential system in 1978, every election which ensued was fought on the promise to abolish the presidency.

However, once elected all presidents chose to ignore the election promise.

Rajapaksa was elected twice as President. In 2010, he adopted an amendment to the Constitution allowing him to contest any number of times to be president.

Sirisena's current government in 2015 through the nineteenth amendment to the Constitution restored the two-term limit. This means Rajapaksa cannot become President again.

With his new party's unexpected win in the local council elections held February, the former strongman presses for an early parliamentary poll ahead of its 2020 August schedule.

However, the next election which is due is the presidential election which must be held by January of 2020. P

Sri Lanka's communist party JVP Saturday said the time was right to bring in the 20th amendment to the Constitution to abolish the all-powerful executive presidential system of governance.

Sri Lanka's communist party JVP Saturday said the time was right to bring in the 20th amendment to the Constitution to abolish the all-powerful executive presidential system of governance. The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), the main mover of the motion seeking to abolish of the presidency, held a series of discussions with the main opposition leader and Sri Lanka's former President Mahinda Rajapaksa to seek his support to bring in the 20th amendment to abolish the executive presidency. "He (Rajapaksa) was for the idea of abolishing it," senior JVP leader Bimal Ratnayake said. He claimed that all current leaders Rajapaksa, Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe were afraid of facing another presidential election. "All of them know they can't win it. So they all will support it," Ratnayake said. He said it was an opportune time to abolish the executive presidency which has been in existence since 1978. Rajapaksa, who is constitutionally barred from contesting again to become president, has supported the proposal. His supporters, however, have expressed public opposition to abolishing the presidency. They want Rajapaksa's brother Gotabaya to contest it as Rajapaksa will be constitutionally barred from running for president again. Ratnayake said both Sirisena and Wickremesinghe want to dodge holding the provincial elections which have fallen due. "If we can adopt 20th amendment then there will be no need to hold another presidential election. A parliamentary election can be held thereafter," he said. The Sinhala-majority political parties, however, will face stiff resistance from the minority Muslim and Tamil parties for abolishing the presidency. Sri Lanka Muslim Congress leader Rauff Hakeem said his party would strongly object to abolishing the presidency. "When the whole country is considered as one electorate to elect a president, the minority vote will become important, so we will be politically valued. That is why we would not allow JVP to change it," Hakeem said. Since the introduction of the presidential system in 1978, every election which ensued was fought on the promise to abolish the presidency. However, once elected all presidents chose to ignore the election promise. Rajapaksa was elected twice as President. In 2010, he adopted an amendment to the Constitution allowing him to contest any number of times to be president. Sirisena's current government in 2015 through the nineteenth amendment to the Constitution restored the two-term limit. This means Rajapaksa cannot become President again. With his new party's unexpected win in the local council elections held February, the former strongman presses for an early parliamentary poll ahead of its 2020 August schedule. However, the next election which is due is the presidential election which must be held by January of 2020. P

Right time to abolish Sri Lanka's presidential system of governance: Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna

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Sri Lanka's Tamil party TNA, JVP pledge to work together to abolish executive presidency

Right time to abolish Sri Lanka's presidential system of governance: Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna