Media reactions to the formation of the SLFP (MW) have been cynical.
In the media's view, the SLFP (MW) doesn't look as if it will make a difference to the political scene, the Hindustan Times reported.
“But at the same time, it is acknowledged that President Mahinda Rajapaksa may be a worried man,” the paper said.
“The prospect of former President Chandrika Kumaratunga's coming back to active politics through the SLFP (MW) and leading a combined SLFP (MW)-Opposition assault on the government, does disturb him.”
During his address to the parliament, Samaraweera made an appeal to the former president, and daughter of the SLFP’s founder, to come back from “political retirement” and join hands with the new party to usher a new era in Sri Lanka.
The Daily Mirror described Samaraweera's move as "disruptive" at a time, when the crying the need was political unity to face the "multifaceted crisis" facing Sri Lanka. The split in the ruling party would only "push the country towards greater instability" the paper warned in an editorial.
Questioning the motives of the defecting duo, former Ministers Mangala Samaraweera and Sripathy Sooriyarachchi, the paper said that the "crux of the matter appears to revolve around ministerial positions and personal vendettas."
The Island daily said in its editorial that the defection and the emergence of a new political outfit would only help the LTTE.
"Their (the defectors') game plan is clear: While the LTTE is targeting the government on the war front, the dissidents and the UNP (the opposition United National Party ) will engage it on the political front."
Noting that President Mahinda Rajapaksa is getting rattled these days, the paper advised him to stay cool, as any rash reaction would only help the detractors and the LTTE.
It asked him to concentrate on good governance, because the success or failure of SLFP (MW) would depend on his ability or inability to govern the country.
But as of now, The Island is not sanguine about the SLFP (MW)'s prospects. It would "lose its magic" after its ceremonial launching on Friday, it predicted.
The Tamil daily Thinakkural went along with Samaraweera on his description of the sordid state of affairs in Sri Lanka, but it did not relish the prospect of former President Kumaratunga's leading the SLFP (MW).
In her 11 year rule, which ended in December 2005, Kumaratunga did not achieve anything concrete, Thinakkural said. She only confused issues to the detriment of Sri Lankans, it said.
However, Thinkkural notes that Rajapaksa is less wary and apprehensive about Ranil Wickremesinghe, the Leader of the Opposition and his formal rival, than he is about Kumaratunga, a retired politician. Many of Rajapaksa's actions betray apprehensions about a Kumaratunga come back, the paper points out.
Political circles say that Rajapaksa feels that Kumaratunga may be having her loyalists in parliament and the Council of Ministers, even now. They also say that disgruntlement is widespread in the SLFP and the government, the Hindustan Time noted.
They point out that during Samaraweera's highly vituperative speech in parliament on Wednesday, none from the ruling party ventured to challenge him. The stony silence was pregnant with meaning, they felt, the paper said.
However, several ministers told the media that the SLFP ( MW) posed no danger to the government. Minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle said that there was no likelihood of Kumaratunga's coming back to active politics.
In the media's view, the SLFP (MW) doesn't look as if it will make a difference to the political scene, the Hindustan Times reported.
“But at the same time, it is acknowledged that President Mahinda Rajapaksa may be a worried man,” the paper said.
“The prospect of former President Chandrika Kumaratunga's coming back to active politics through the SLFP (MW) and leading a combined SLFP (MW)-Opposition assault on the government, does disturb him.”
During his address to the parliament, Samaraweera made an appeal to the former president, and daughter of the SLFP’s founder, to come back from “political retirement” and join hands with the new party to usher a new era in Sri Lanka.
The Daily Mirror described Samaraweera's move as "disruptive" at a time, when the crying the need was political unity to face the "multifaceted crisis" facing Sri Lanka. The split in the ruling party would only "push the country towards greater instability" the paper warned in an editorial.
Questioning the motives of the defecting duo, former Ministers Mangala Samaraweera and Sripathy Sooriyarachchi, the paper said that the "crux of the matter appears to revolve around ministerial positions and personal vendettas."
The Island daily said in its editorial that the defection and the emergence of a new political outfit would only help the LTTE.
"Their (the defectors') game plan is clear: While the LTTE is targeting the government on the war front, the dissidents and the UNP (the opposition United National Party ) will engage it on the political front."
Noting that President Mahinda Rajapaksa is getting rattled these days, the paper advised him to stay cool, as any rash reaction would only help the detractors and the LTTE.
It asked him to concentrate on good governance, because the success or failure of SLFP (MW) would depend on his ability or inability to govern the country.
But as of now, The Island is not sanguine about the SLFP (MW)'s prospects. It would "lose its magic" after its ceremonial launching on Friday, it predicted.
The Tamil daily Thinakkural went along with Samaraweera on his description of the sordid state of affairs in Sri Lanka, but it did not relish the prospect of former President Kumaratunga's leading the SLFP (MW).
In her 11 year rule, which ended in December 2005, Kumaratunga did not achieve anything concrete, Thinakkural said. She only confused issues to the detriment of Sri Lankans, it said.
However, Thinkkural notes that Rajapaksa is less wary and apprehensive about Ranil Wickremesinghe, the Leader of the Opposition and his formal rival, than he is about Kumaratunga, a retired politician. Many of Rajapaksa's actions betray apprehensions about a Kumaratunga come back, the paper points out.
Political circles say that Rajapaksa feels that Kumaratunga may be having her loyalists in parliament and the Council of Ministers, even now. They also say that disgruntlement is widespread in the SLFP and the government, the Hindustan Time noted.
They point out that during Samaraweera's highly vituperative speech in parliament on Wednesday, none from the ruling party ventured to challenge him. The stony silence was pregnant with meaning, they felt, the paper said.
However, several ministers told the media that the SLFP ( MW) posed no danger to the government. Minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle said that there was no likelihood of Kumaratunga's coming back to active politics.
