By Jayasuriya Udukumbura and Chaminda Silva

Grassroots level politicians of the Joint Opposition yesterday called upon President Sirisena to hand over SLFP leadership to former President Mahinda Rajapaksa. The decision had been taken at a meeting of the SLFP local government members in Negombo with former President Mahinda Rajapaksa presiding, former Western Province Chief Minister, UFPA Gampaha District MP Prasanna Ranatunga told The Island last night.

Ranatunga said that out of 1,437 SLFP members in the local government bodies, 1,401 had attended the meeting and made three unanimous decisions.

They had resolved to demand that an SLFP-led government be formed and a senior member of the SLFP be appointed Prime Minster. Another resolution passed at the meeting was to ask the party to withdraw disciplinary charges against the SLFP members supportive of the Joint Opposition, Ranatunga said.

MP Ranatunga said: “All local government members of the SLFP have demanded that the party leadership be handed over to the former President immediately. There will be no break-up of the SLFP if the incumbent President agreed to do so. The local government members insist that a new party be founded unless their demands were granted. We have enough time for an election campaign. People will certainly rally around us to defeat the UNP if former President Rajapaksa is appointed the SLFP leader.”

Courtesy:The Island