{"id":41927,"date":"2015-06-30T15:55:45","date_gmt":"2015-06-30T19:55:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/?p=41927"},"modified":"2015-06-30T15:55:45","modified_gmt":"2015-06-30T19:55:45","slug":"maithripala-offers-conditional-nomination-to-mahinda-but-refuses-to-announce-him-as-partys-prime-minister-candidate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/?p=41927","title":{"rendered":"Maithripala Offers “Conditional Nomination” to Mahinda but Refuses to Announce him as Party’s Prime Minister Candidate"},"content":{"rendered":"

By<\/p>\n

Dharisha Bastians
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Sri Lanka Freedom Party, the main constituent in political coalitions that have ruled the country for the better part of 20 years looked poised to suffer a major split yesterday, as hopes for compromise between the Maithripala and Mahinda factions appeared to fade after hectic rounds of talks yesterday.<\/p>\n

A great game of wits between feuding factions of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party reached crescendo, when President Maithripala Sirisena firmly refused to name his predecessor as the party\u2019s prime ministerial nominee in a public statement, hours ahead of a major announcement scheduled by Mahinda Rajapaksa in Medamulana.<\/p>\n

\u201cPlease be informed President Maithripala Sirisena has not accepted or declared former President Mahinda Rajapaksa to be the prime minister candidate of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party,\u201d a statement from the Presidential Media Division released last evening read.<\/p>\n

The statement noted that a decision on the appointment of the Prime Minister will be made in consultations with elected MPs in the event the SLFP-led UPFA wins the election.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\u201cNo candidate of the SLFP has been named as the party\u2019s premier candidate,\u201d the statement said, adding that there had been no agreement by Party Chairman Maithripala Sirisena whatsoever to nominate the former President as the party\u2019s prime ministerial hopeful.<\/p>\n

The clarification regarding SLFP internal issues, released from the President\u2019s office was irregular, and came at the back of intense speculation that President Sirisena had agreed to give Rajapaksa nominations on the SLFP\/UPFA ticket last afternoon.<\/p>\n

A senior SLFP delegation comprising Opposition Leader Nimal Siripala De Silva, SLFP General Secretary Anura Priyadarshana Yapa and UPFA General Secretary Susil Premajayantha met former President Rajapaksa in Kandy last afternoon.<\/p>\n

During the discussions, the SLFP delegation put forward President Sirisena\u2019s proposals for preventing the split of the party. During the discussion, the former President had been offered a conditional nomination on the UPFA ticket, according to sources close to the SLFP delegation holding talks with Mahinda Rajapaksa in Kandy. The delegation was also to convey to the ousted President that he would not be nominated as the SLFP Prime Ministerial hopeful in the upcoming polls campaign.<\/p>\n

Speaking to Daily FT, Rajapaksa loyalist and former Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said the talks between the two sides had ended in a \u201csatisfactory manner\u201d.<\/p>\n

He expressed confidence that the former President would lead the UPFA\u2019s polls campaign.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is clear that both leaders do not want to split the party. Both have pressures being brought on them and those are both positive and negative. The bottom line is that to win, we have to be together,\u201d Rambukwella explained.<\/p>\n

Sources from the Mahinda camp confirmed however that the President had rejected a demand from the faction to have his predecessor named as prime ministerial hopeful of the SLFP. Conflicting reports ensued about a \u2018deal\u2019 struck between President Sirisena and Mahinda Rajapaksa, and accusations that the President had double-crossed the UNP and betrayed the mandate he received from the people on 8 January.<\/p>\n

The confusion resulted in the statement from the Presidential Media Division late afternoon, categorically denying that Rajapaksa had been declared SLFP Prime Ministerial hopeful. However the statement from the PMD also failed to rule out a nomination for the ex President on the SLFP ticket, adding to the confusion surrounding the issue.<\/p>\n

The presidential statement however caused a major disturbance in the Mahinda camp which felt it was a snub, reliable sources said and prompted the group to begin contemplating its \u2018Plan B\u2019 – to contest as a separate political entity, with Mahinda Rajapaksa leading the campaign.<\/p>\n

\u201cA split is imminent,\u201d the sources, confidants of the ex-President said late last night.<\/p>\n

Large crowds are expected to gather in Medamulana this morning for religious ceremonies to mark Poya day, followed by a special announcement from former President Rajapaksa, widely speculated to be one that addresses the question of his candidacy. A vehicle parade has also been organised as crowds of supporters and politicians flock to Rajapaksa\u2019s hometown to beg him to contest the 17 August poll.<\/p>\n

Rambukwella told Daily FT he was also headed to Medamulana last night, to participate in the event. Media personnel are also being transported to Hambantota from the Abhayarama Temple in Narahenpita for the event.<\/p>\n

The event will be a show of the former President\u2019s strength, with the religious activities alone expected to draw a crowd of about 10,000 people, sources from the group indicated.<\/p>\n

The pro-Maithripala faction of the SLFP, particularly those MPs who stepped out of the Rajapaksa Government with him last November, continued to express frustration with the situation and the secret negotiations with Rajapaksa.<\/p>\n

Several of these members were threatening to quit the party and cross over to the UNP, Daily FT learns. <\/p>\n

However with talks appearing to have ended without agreement for a second consecutive night, the pro-Maithripala group was more confident that President Sirisena had not given into Rajapaksa demands, sources said.<\/p>\n

Minister Rajitha Senaratne held talks with President Sirisena until late last night at the former\u2019s Wijerama Mawatha residence in Colombo, Daily FT learns.<\/p>\n


\nSLFP candidate hopefuls express support to MR, call for unity<\/strong><\/p>\n

Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia Mayor Dhanasiri Amaratunga yesterday told the SLFP board conducting interviews with candidate hopefuls for the 17 AugustParliamentary election that he would not contest from the party if it failed to grant former President Mahinda Rajapaksa a nomination.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the past, at these interviews before elections, these rooms were full,\u201d Amaratunga told reporters after his interview at the SLFP headquarters in Darley Road. \u201cThat was during President Rajapaksa\u2019s time. Now there are barely 100 people asking for nominations,\u201d he charged.
\n\u201cI told the board that I would not contest unless Mahinda Rajapaksa was also on the ticket,\u201d he claimed.
\nOther young candidates, like provincial councillor Malsha Kumaratunga expressed hope that the party could unite ahead of the election.<\/p>\n

SLFP Seniors vetting the candidates, included A.H.M Fowzie, Sarath Amunugama and Mahinda Yapa Abeywardane. \u201cThe party is keen to nominate politicians who are not corrupt or tainted,\u201d Amunugama told reporters after the interviews.<\/p>\n

JHU will not ally if old crooks follow MR into the race<\/strong><\/p>\n

Chairman of the National Council for a Cleaner Tomorrow (Pivithuru Hetak) and JHU MP Athuraliye Rathana Thero yesterday insisited his party had no issue with Mahinda Rajapaksa contesting the next election, but would not ally with the UPFA if his \u2018old crooks\u2019 follow the ex president into the race.<\/p>\n

The JHU monk strongly hinted that the party would start negotiations about allying with other parties if Rajapaksa cronies were afforded space within the UPFA again. <\/p>\n

Speaking at a Pivithuru Hetak press conference at the Foundation Institute yesteday, Rathana Thero said the JHU\u2019s concern was who else would be granted nominations to contest under Mahinda Rajapaksa.
\n\u201cIf he contests with the old rogues, there is no way we will ally with the former coalition,\u201d he said.
\nRathana Thero said the JHU was willing to continue to be part of the Sirisena administration.
\n\u201cWe are also open to talking with the UNP,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Courtesy:Daily FT<\/em><\/p>\n

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By Dharisha Bastians The Sri Lanka Freedom Party, the main constituent in political coalitions that have ruled the country for the better part of 20 years looked poised to suffer a major split yesterday, as hopes for compromise between the Maithripala and Mahinda factions appeared to fade after hectic rounds of talks yesterday. A great …<\/p>\n

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