Several MPs of the UPFA met in Colombo earlier today to discuss the agreement of the SLFP to form a national unity government with the UNP and its UNFGG coalition.

Former minister Vasudeva Nanayakkara said a large number of newly elected MPs, including former president Mahinda Rajapaksa objected to the agreement.

The Pivithuru Hela Urumaya (PHU), a member of the UPFA coalition also opposed the agreement, as it was against the UPFA’s mandate.

General Secretary Udaya Gammanpila, who came third in the preferential votes list in Colombo, said people voted for the UPFA in protest at the UNFGG’s policies and forming a national unity government was not mentioned in the party manifesto.

Mr Gammanpila said former president Mahinda Rajapaksa completely rejected the national government concept in his election rallies.

“People voted for UPFA because they rejected UNP’s manifesto and forming a national government with them is against the mandate. We saw what happened to those who acted against the mandate at the general election. The same thing will happen to those who act against the mandate at the next election,” he said.

The National Freedom Front, led by former minister Wimal Weerawansa, won 5 parliamentary seats in Sri Lanka’s general election earlier this week.

The party ran on the UPFA’s platform and five candidates from Matara, Kalutara, Moneragala and Colombo will now be in parliament.

Mr Weerawansa, who is a close ally of former president Mahinda Rajapaksa, received the highest number of any UPFA candidate in Colombo’s 16 polling divisions, with 313,801 preferential votes, second behind Ranil Wickremesinghe who won 500,566 preferential votes.

In fact, the preferential vote results show that although the prime minister topped the list, he is followed by four candidates of the UPFA, including the leader of another hardline constituent of the UPFA alliance, the Pivithuru Hela Urumaya’s Udaya Gammanpila, who came third with 198,818 votes.

Mahinda Rajapaksa has pledged to continue to engage in Sri Lankan politics, in a statement released on Wednesday.

The former president, who was defeated in this week's parliamentary elections, said he "humbly accepts" the results of the poll.

The UK will remain committed to delivering reconciliation and peace across Sri Lanka said the British Foreign Secretary whilst congratulating Ranil Wickremesinghe on his election as prime minister.

The Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond, in a statement made on Wednesday, said, 

The UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon, welcoming "peaceful elections" called on Sri Lanka’s new government to “make further progress” on issues of accountability and reconciliation.

In a statement released on Tuesday the Secretary general said,

The head of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) party in Tamil Nadu urged Sri Lanka’s newly elected parliament to find a permanent solution to the issues faced by Tamils on the island, reports Times of India.

Noting that the 16 seats secured by the Tamil National Alliance would be influential in Sri Lanka’s parliament, M Karunanudhi, said,

The US State Department spokesperson John Kirby, welcomed Sri Lanka’s new parliament  and commended Sri Lanka’s peaceful parliamentary elections.

In a press briefing on Tuesday Mr Kirby, said,

“The United States looks forward to working with President Sirisiena, the prime minister, and the new government.”

Fitch Ratings, a global economic rating agency, called on Sri Lanka’s new government to offer greater clarity over its economic policy on Wednesday.

Commenting on the election of a new government, the Fitch Ratings press release said,

“The establishment of a new government with a clear electoral mandate following parliamentary elections on 17 August, should mitigate some political uncertainty, though the direction of economic policy and the stability of the likely coalition remain unclear.”

The governor of Sri Lanka’s Central bank, Arjuna Mahendran, told the Financial Times that he would double foreign exchange reserves as the first step towards full currency liberation.

Labelling existing restrictions on the Sri Lankan rupee as “draconian” Mr Mahendran said the new government would seek to implement new legislation that looked to “slash” exchange controls via new legislation.

Speaking to the Financial Times Mr Mahendran said,