Rajapakse menentang saran Samaraweera dan menerima para pembelot dari oposisi itu dalam upaya mengamankan mayoritas di parlemen yang beranggotakan 225 oarng dimana ia mewarisi pemerintah minoritas yang terpilih pada 2004.
Rajapakse went against Samaraweera's advice and accepted defectors from the opposition in a bid to secure a majority in the 225-member parliament where he had inherited a minority government elected separately in 2004.