Members of the joint opposition (JO) have expressed their displeasure at the attempt by 16 SLFP MPs, who have announced their decision to sit in the opposition in parliament, to join the JO.
Several JO MPs have even taken the issue with the seniors of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna.
JO MP Johnston Fernando has objected to the attempt by MP Dayasiri Jayasekera to join the JO.
Fernando has said that Jayasekera is a time servant who had no principles and would betray any one since his main aim power.
Fernando has also explained that Jayasekera first left the SLFP to join the UNP and later rejoined the SLFP and backed former President Mahinda Rajapaksa until joining Maithripala Sirisena after he won the Presidential election in 2015.
Meanwhile, MP Susil Premajayantha is also causing problems in the JO by claiming he should be given a leadership role in the JO since he is the most senior SLFP member to join them.
Premajayantha it is learnt has said that MP Dinesh Gunawardena is not from the SLFP and the front-liners of the JO at present were mostly from other political parties.
Therefore, he has said that he should be given the leadership of the JO group in parliament.
It is learnt that Gunawardena, Wimal Weerawansa and other MPs have now taken the matter to former Minister Basil Rajapaksa seeking resolution.
Members of the JO in the Matara local governments and provincial councils have also signed a letter and handed over to the JO seniors asking them not to accept former Minister, MP Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena in to the JO group.
However, JO MPs Pavithra Wanniarachchi, Ramesh Pathirana and many others have expressed their displeasure at the Group of 16 MPs saying they supported President Sirisena and abandoned former President MP Mahinda Rajapaksa because they wanted to be in power.
The JO members believe that the Group of 16 is now seeking to join the JO in order to secure victory at the next general election.
