President Sirisena Appoints SLFP Committee to Promote “Cooperation”Between Himself and Ex- President Mahinda Rajapaksa

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Chaminda Perera

The Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) appointed a committee yesterday to promote “cooperation” between President Maithripala Sirisena and former President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

The committee, appointed by President Maithripala Sirisena, is comprised of John Seneviratna, Dilan Perera, T. B. Ekanayake, Kumara Welgama, Anura Priyadarshana Yapa and Susil Premajayantha. The committee will primarily do a coordinating job between President Sirisena and former President Rajapaksa, highly placed party sources told the Daily News yesterday.

The SLFP also decided to put in place an action plan to promote closer cooperation between the former President Mahinda Rajapaksa and the incumbent President.

The decision was arrived at during special meeting of SLFP parliamentarians, Provincial Councillors and SLFP organizers held at the Foundation Institute under the patronage of President Maithripala Sirisena.

The meeting was organized to discuss about the 20th Amendment and the party’s way forward ahead of a crucial national level election.

Addressing the meeting, President Sirisena asserted that he would not allow any party to divide the SLFP. He said the party should face the next Parliamentary election with unity and cooperation.

UPFA MPs, such as, Dilan Perera, Lakshman Seneviratne, Bandula Gunawardena, Kumara Welgama and Dehiwala-Mt. Lavinia Mayor Dhanasiri Amaratunga spoke during the meeting. MP Kumara Welgama, responding to the President, said the party could only win the forthcoming Parliamentary election if the former President joined hands with the present President.

“In this day and age, people vote for the candidate and not for the party. For instance, no one knows the name of the party under which President Maithripala Sirisena contested the last Presidential election. They only know the candidate and his symbol. At this point, our supporters want Mahinda Rajapaksa to come for the Parliamentary election. People prefer him,” Welgama said.

He also said that the No-Confidence Motions should be given priority before the 20th Amendment to the Constitution. He said the Opposition Leader should take the responsibility for present issues with regard to the No-Confidence Motions. “No one points the finger at President Maithripala Sirisena as he had no involvement in the No-Confidence Motions,” Welgama said.

However, Welgama told media that nothing was discussed about giving Prime Ministerial candidature to former President Rajapaksa.

Dilan Perera, Bandula Gunawardena and Dhanasiri Amaratunga too expressed similar sentiments.

Meanwhile, MP Lakshman Seneviratne had said the 20th Amendment should be given more priority than No-Confidence Motions. His remark had drawn mixed reactions from the MPs and other representatives present at the meeting.

Courtesy:Daily News