Gunathilake was removed from party hierarchy earlier in the year

JVP's candidate in the 1999 presidential elections, Nandana Gunathilake, told BBC Sandeshaya that those elements do not tolerate dissident opinion within the party.

"Recently, a member of this extremist group tried to assault me at the parliament but others prevented it," he said.

Assault in parliament

Kegalle district parliamentarian Anurudhdha Polgampola tried to assault Gunathilake at the parliamentary complex on Thursday, media reports said.

This small group, in which the MP who tried to assault me is also a member, is trying to drag the party back to the jungle Nandana Gunathilake, JVP MP

Gunathilake has lodged a complaint with the police saying his life is threatened by certain members of the JVP.

He said the threat was not the first incident since he was removed from the party hierarchy a few months ago.

"I think this is more than a threat about the future direction of the party than a personal threat to me," Gunathilake, who is currently very close to Mahinda Rajapaksa administration said.

Budget vote

The JVP that voted against the budget at the second reading on 19 November, abstained from voting at the third round on Friday.

The JVP's tactical move resulted in preventing few others from the government crossing over to the opposition, the main opposition claimed.

	JVP that supports military solution against the LTTE twice took arms against the state

Nandana Gunathilake who abstained from voting in the earlier round voted with the government at the vote for the third reading.

"This small group, in which that MP is also a member, is trying to drag the party back to the jungle," Gunathilake told BBC Sinhala.com.

The JVP that advocates a military solution against the Tamil Tigers twice took arms against the state in 1971 and late 80s.

The uprisings were crushed by the state as the then government and the JVP are accused of killing tens of thousands of Sinhala youths.

JVP armed struggle

"There is still a group in the party that believes in the armed struggle to gain power. A few members in the Political Bureau and the Central Committee are also of the same view," Nandana Gunathilake said.

There is still a group in the party that believes in the armed struggle to gain power. A few members in the Political Bureau and the Central Committee are also of the same view Nandana Gunathilake, JVP MP

The Sri Lankan state is accused of killing JVP's founding leader Rohana Wijeweera and other senior leaders.

JVP's current leader Somawansa Amerasinghe who survived the crush down has admitted that the party has killed at least 6000 people during late 80s.

Gunathilake and the JVP currently support military crush down against the LTTE.

Army Commander, General Sarath Fonseka, has recently told that attacks on civilians in and around Yala were carried out by Sinhala groups sympathetic to LTTE.