Emergency SLFP CENTRAL Committee meeting to avert split

The Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) will convene an urgent Central Committee meeting this week to discuss measures to prevent a possible split in the party, party sources said.

At the same time, the SLFP will organize district level meetings across the country from today where its Local Government representatives will pledge their unconditional support to the party. The first meetings will be held in Kandy and Gampaha.

The move comes in the wake of statements made by UPFA dissidents that they will contest the forthcoming Local Government Elections as a separate political front under the leadership of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Sources from the Mahinda Rajapaksa camp told the Daily News that the group has explored the possibility of contesting the election as the 'New SLFP' under the 'Lotus' symbol. Meanwhile, discussions were on between SLFP seniors and UPFA members supportive of the former President on resolving the internal power struggle within the party.

However, the group supportive of Rajapaksa asserted that the former President should be given the opportunity to lead the party's campaign at the Local Government elections.

Responding to this claim, a spokesperson close to President Maithripala Sirisena said the President in his capacity as the SLFP chairman will lead the party's campaign at the election and responsibilities of his position in the party will not be transferred. Party sources said the next working committee meeting would see a last ditch attempt to work out a solution between the two warring factions of the party.

"The Central Committee will not compromise on party discipline. Every member of the party, irrespective of their status, should obey the decisions made by the Central Committee.

If the Central Committee decides that the election campaign should be led by the President, every member should extend their support to him.

Those who attempt to sabotage the party's campaign by forming separate political groups will be severely dealt with,"a senior member of the Central Committee told the Daily News.