By

Zahrah Imtiaz

Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) Chairman, President Maithripala Sirisena along with the party Central Committee has unanimously decided to empower the General Secretary to take disciplinary action against any member who is found to have defied party orders.

“On Thursday evening, we had two important meetings, one was with leading SLFP activists and the President on party reforms and the second meeting held later was the convening of the Central Committee,” State Finance Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena said at a media briefing at the Finance Ministry yesterday.

Soon after, SLFP General Secretary Mahinda Amaraweera suspended the membership of SLFP Puttalam District MP Sanath Nishantha for having insulted the President.

“There needs to be discipline in a party. Members who hoot at or throw stones at the party headquarters cannot remain party members. Those who did that to Sirikotha are still suffering,” stressed the state minister but refused to reveal who else would be on the party’s radar for discipline.

“More will follow later on. But, the President told them that there was still time for all to come together as a party. It is easy to break a party but hard to build one. The UNP was in the Opposition for 20 years because of its split,” Abeywardena said.

He however also explained that initiating disciplinary action against MPs was a long and drawn out process and needed to be done according to procedure.

Apart from dealing with party discipline, the President has also directed meetings on party reforms to be held at every district starting August 6 and to have a final plan on it by August 31.

District co-leaders have been appointed in addition to the existing party district leaders from work with organisers and cadres to prepare a plan on reforms.

“On September 2, the SLFP will celebrate its 60th anniversary, and on September 4 we will have one of our largest conventions and there we will introduce our reforms,”Abeywardena who has been appointed the district co-leader to Galle said.

The President has also asked that organisers be appointed to electorates in the North and East in a bid to bring in more minority members into the party. Thus, far parties like Douglas Devananda’s EPDP have expressed their desire to join the UPFA umbrella while Armugam Thondaman of the CWC is currently holding discussions to join the UPFA, Abeywardena said.

He added that 12 other parties have tied up with the UPFA to contest an upcoming election. Contrary to comments made earlier with regard to the SLFP contesting under the ‘Hand’ symbol, Abeywardena said that the matter would be finalised once their alliances are cemented.

Courtesy:Daily News