By Shaahidah Riza

Minister for Disaster Management and senior SLFP Member Anura Priyadarshana Yapa yesterday contradicted former President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s statement that the SLFP leadership was snatched from him.
Yapa said, the transfer of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) leadership took place amicably.

Speaking to Ceylon Today he added, “As far as I know, there was a discussion between the two leaders and then it was handed over to President Sirisena by Mahinda Rajapaksa. That is what I know. This took place at the Speaker’s residence. I have no knowledge of other things.”

On 16 January, 2015 President Maithripala Sirisena was appointed as the Chairman of the SLFP, after former President Mahinda Rajapaksa agreed to handover the party’s leadership to his successor. Reports also indicated that the latter did so willingly, following discussions at the Speaker’s house.

However, at a public gathering in Anamaduwa, during the weekend, Mahinda Rajapaksa claimed that the party leadership was ‘snatched’ by his successor, President Sirisena.

According to reports, at that meeting he had stated that President Sirisena had convened a separate SLFP convention where a new central committee was also elected. Rajapaksa added that President Sirisena had repeatedly asked the former to leave as he had lost twice at elections.

Courtesy:Ceylon Today