By P K Balachandran

Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena is slowly but steadily gaining control over the opposition United Peoples’ Freedom Alliance (UPFA) and its main constituent, the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) which, during and prior to the August 17 parliamentary elections were under the de facto control of former Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

pic: facebook.com/BBCSinhala

On Friday, the pro-Sirisena and pro-Rajapaksa factions in the UPFA agreed on a compromise list of people who should be nominated to the 12 “National List” parliamentary seats allotted to the party following the August 17 elections.

Among the nominees are those of the Sirisena faction who had failed to get elected to parliament.

The 12 nominees are: Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena, Thilanga Sumathipala, Sarath Amunugama, Dilan Perera, Vijith Vijayamuni Soysa, S.B. Dissanayake, Mahinda Samarasinghe, Malith Jayatilake, M.L.A.M. Hisbullah, Angajan Ramanathan, A.H.M. Fowzie and Faizer Mustapha.

On Thursday, the Central Committee of the SLFP met, with both the pro-Sirisena and pro-Rajapaksa groups participating. It was agreed to accept Sirisena’s proposal to join, for two years, a National Government proposed by the ruling United National Front for Good Governance (UNFGG) led by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.

A six-person committee, headed former President Chandrika Kumaratunga, was set up to negotiate the terms of participation in the National Government.

But Rajapaksa boycotted Thursday’s meeting, opposing any understanding with the UNFGG.
According to Rajapaksa loyalists, 65 of the 95 UPFA MPs are with him on this and other issues

Courtesy:New Indian Express